Harlingen Officer in Critical Condition After Shooting

Suspect's car found in river in Brownsville

BROWNSVILLE - A Harlingen police officer is in critical condition right now after being shot. NEWCHANNEL5 has learned the alleged shooter may have ended up in Brownsville.

Last night around nine o'clock, a Harlingen police officer pulled over the driver of a white Mitsubishi Gallant for a routine traffic stop. Before Officer Carlos Diaz got out of his unit, the suspects inside the car shot at him, hitting him several times in the shoulder area and face. Then they took off.

Police across the Valley immediately started searching for the car. Cameron County Sheriff deputies were the first to spot the car near the Gateway International Bridge. They tried to stop the vehicle, but the suspects continued racing through Hope Park and then into the Rio Grande.

It took crews three hours to pull the car out of the river. Right now, it's at the Brownsville Police Department. Sergeant Jimmy Manrique says, "At this point it is being treated as evidence. We are not searching through it until we obtain a search warrant and look for any evidence that would be contained inside."

Several law enforcement agencies respond to the scene. Border Patrol's dive team came in to look for the gunman in the river, but they found nothing. In all, it took agencies three hours to investigate the crime scene and pull out the car.

This morning Brownsville police are waiting for a search warrant, so they can go through the car and look for evidence.

As for Officer Diaz, he is recovering in the hospital and is being treated here at Valley Baptist Medical Center. At our last update, he was listed in critical condition.

According to NEWSCHANNEL 5 sources, Diaz was taking visitors earlier. He was conscious and talking. We also understand he was being prepped for surgery to remove bullets and bullet fragments. We know he was hit several times in the upper body.

As we've been reporting, Diaz was shot while in his patrol car. The bullets flew straight through his windshield. He was shot at close range. He had no time to draw his weapon and defend himself. He was basically ambushed as he tried to make a traffic stop. All he could do was call for help on his radio.

Harlingen officers have been in and out the emergency room. Diaz's family is at the hospital. They're all here waiting for updates on his condition. We'll bring you more on how he's doing as it is released to us.

Meanwhile, the Harlingen Police Department has set up an account to help the Diaz family. The fund was set up at First Community Bank, located on 806 South 77 Sunshine Strip in Harlingen. The account number is 149-5585, and the routing number is 114-908-289.