A federal grand jury has indicted a 27-year-old Mexican national accused of shooting a Dallas ISD police officer with the officer’s own firearm last month. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced Wednesday that Jose Santiago Pantoja-Morales faces a federal charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.
The August 6 incident began when Pantoja-Morales jumped from a coworker’s vehicle onto the center median of LBJ Freeway. The coworker flagged down DISD Officer Justin Jones who was on routine patrol at the time.
Jones offered Pantoja-Morales a ride to a nearby safe location. During the ride investigators say Pantoja-Morales began searching through a bag belonging to the officer that was located in the back seat.
When Jones stopped the vehicle and tried to remove Pantoja-Morales from the car a physical struggle broke out between the two. Pantoja-Morales allegedly grabbed Jones’ service weapon during the altercation and fired a single shot that struck the officer in the femoral artery of his right leg.
Jones managed to regain control of his firearm after being shot. Pantoja-Morales fled the scene on foot but was taken into custody a short time later.
A fellow Dallas ISD officer rendered emergency medical aid at the scene before Jones was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital. The wound to the femoral artery was considered life-threatening given the major blood vessel’s role in circulation to the lower extremities.
Dallas Police had previously filed a charge of aggravated assault against a public servant against Pantoja-Morales following the shooting. The new federal indictment adds the unlawful firearms possession charge stemming from his status as a foreign national.
Pantoja-Morales is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The indictment represents a formal allegation of criminal conduct and not a finding of guilt.