THE WOODBURY COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS RULED THAT THE FATAL SHOOTING OF A SUSPECT BY SIOUX CITY POLICE AT THE PARKING RAMP OF THE HARD ROCK HOTEL AND CASINO ON JANUARY 8TH WAS JUSTIFIED.
COUNTY ATTORNEY JAMES LOOMIS SAYS 55-YEAR-OLD SALVADOR PEREZ-GARCIA OF SIOUX CITY DELIBERATELY RAMMED TWO PATROL CARS WITH HIS PICKUP AND THEN ATTACKED OFFICERS WHILE BRANDISHING A WEAPON ON A STEEL CHAIN:
LOOMIS4 OC…NOT WARRANTED. :19
LOOMIS SAYS PEREZ-GARCIA HAD BEEN BANNED FROM THE HARD ROCK CASINO IN JUNE OF 2023 BECAUSE OF THEFTS.
ON JANUARY 8TH HE DROVE HIS PICKUP INTO THE HARD ROCK PARKING GARAGE’S SECOND LEVEL AT 1:08 A.M.
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS HIM TALKING INTO THE SECURITY CAMERA AND SMOKING WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE METH FROM A GLASS PIPE.
HE DROVE TO THE SIOUX CITY POLICE PARKING LOT AT 2:36 A.M. AND THEN IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO THE HARD ROCK RAMP WHERE HE SLOWLY DROVE INTO THE GLASS DOORS TO THE ELEVATOR AREA ON THE 2ND LEVEL.
HE THEN DROVE UP AND DOWN THE RAMP FOR THE NEXT 50 MINUTES UNTIL A POLICE OFFICER DROVE INTO THE RAMP FOR UNRELATED SURVEILLANCE
LOOMIS5 OC…..INSIDE HIS PATROL CAR. :25
LOOMIS SAYS PEREZ-GARCIA THEN RAMMED THE PATROL CAR AGAIN, AND THE OFFICER RADIOED FOR ASSISTANCE.
OFFICERS ARRIVED WITHIN MINUTES AND PEREZ-GARCIA DROVE DOWN THE RAMP WHERE THE SITUATION ESCALATED WITH A PARKED SECOND PATROL CAR:
LOOMIS6 OC……BACKWARDS. :08
LOOMIS SAYS WITHIN SECONDS, PEREZ-GARCIA GOT OUT OF HIS PICKUP AND SWINGING A STEEL CHAIN WITH A METAL WEIGHT ON THE END OF IT, ADVANCED ON THE RESPONDING OFFICERS.
OFFICERS ORDERED HIM TO STOP AND DROP THE WEAPON, THEN TRIED PHYSICALLY DISARMING HIM, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL:
LOOMIS7 OC…..FIRING THEIR HANDGUNS. :20
PEREZ-GARCIA WAS STRUCK NINE TIMES AND THE OFFICERS RENDERED MEDICAL AID, BUT PEREZ-GARCIA DIED AT THE SCENE.
POLICE CHIEF REX MUELLER SAYS THE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT HAVE RETURNED TO DUTY:
LOOMIS8 OC………AN EASY PROCESS. :26
CHIEF MUELLER SAYS PEREZ-GARCIA CONDUCTED A DELIBERATE AND PRE-MEDITATED AMBUSH ON OFFICERS AND HE FORCED THE CONFRONTATION WITH THEM.
HE AND LOOMIS EXTENDED THEIR CONDOLENCES TO PEREZ-GARCIA’S FAMILY.
***VIDEO LINK IS BELOW*** WARNING, GRAPHIC VIOLENCE IS SHOWN IN THE SECURITY CAMERA AND POLICE BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE.
