Police: Gunman accused in triple shooting was on meth

By Cara McCoy

Published Tuesday, March 9, 2010 | 1:10 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, March 9, 2010 | 4:07 p.m.

The cousin and roommate of a man shot by police Monday after allegedly shooting three people, killing one of them, at an apartment complex in the eastern valley, told detectives the gunman was probably on methamphetamine at the time of the shootings, according to a Metro Police arrest report released today.

Gabriel Giovanny Santa-Cruz, 26, is facing one count of murder, four counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault, all enhanced with a deadly weapon, in connection with a shooting at about 2 p.m. Monday at the Silver Pines apartment complex at 6650 E. Russell Road, which is east of Russell's intersection with Boulder Highway. The location is less than a mile from Sam Boyd Stadium.

Two of the attempted murder counts are for the alleged attempted murder of the two police officers who responded to the scene. Santa-Cruz is also facing one count of unlawful possession of a firearm for allegedly using a gun while under the influence of methamphetamine.

Santa-Cruz’s cousin, Daniel Espinosa, who was one of three people shot before Santa-Cruz was arrested, told police Santa-Cruz and his girlfriend, who was also shot, were fighting in their apartment because she said she was leaving him.

Krystal Madera, Santa-Cruz’s girlfriend, was holding their 2-year-old son at the time she was shot, the police report said.

Espinosa and Madera survived but were taken to Sunrise Hospital to be treated for gunshot wounds, the report said. The child was unharmed.

The person who was killed was identified by police as Oscar Omar Carmona-Mata, who was Madera’s mother’s boyfriend. Madera told police Carmona-Mata was at the apartment to assist Madera in moving out.

The police report stated he appeared to have died from a gunshot wound to the head.

According to the report, officers in the area responded to the apartment complex at 1:58 p.m. and encountered a man later identified as Santa-Cruz standing on the driver’s side of a white 1997 Ford pickup truck. As the officers approached in their cruiser, Santa-Cruz pointed at them with his left hand, using his right hand to point at them with a black semiautomatic pistol, the report said.

Santa-Cruz and the two officers exchanged gunfire. Santa-Cruz was struck numerous times, dropped his weapon and was taken into custody, the report stated.

After Santa-Cruz was arrested, officers found Carmona-Mata on the ground in front of one of the apartment buildings. They also found Santa-Cruz’s son inside the pickup truck, covered in blood, but not injured, the report stated.

Police later interviewed Espinosa at the hospital, where he was being treated for a gunshot wound to the upper right chest and a gunshot wound to his left hand. During the interview, he told the investigating officer he had been asleep at the apartment, but was awakened by an argument taking place between Santa-Cruz and Madera, his roommates.

He said he heard Madera tell Santa-Cruz that she was leaving him and she was seeing another man. He was unable to get back to sleep because the argument was so loud, so he walked into the room where the couple was arguing and saw Santa-Cruz holding a black handgun, according to the report.

At that point, Espinosa told police, Santa-Cruz forced Espinosa and Madera into a master bathroom. Madera had the toddler in her arms. Espinosa said Santa-Cruz talked about killing himself.

He told police that Santa-Cruz was acting similarly to how he had acted in the past when he was under the influence of methamphetamine, the report stated.

In the bathroom, Santa-Cruz shot Espinosa in the hand. He said he fell back into the bathtub and played dead in hopes he wouldn’t be shot again. He said he watched as Santa-Cruz then turned the gun on Madera, shooting her in the face.

Santa-Cruz then pulled the trigger again, but nothing happened. Espinosa told the officer he used the opportunity to run from the bathroom and out of the apartment.

He said Santa-Cruz ran after him, firing at least two more times, with one of the bullets striking him in the upper right chest, according to the report.

Espinosa ran to a nearby home, where a resident let him use the phone to call 911.

Detectives also interviewed Madera at the hospital, who was being treated for a gunshot wound to her forehead. She told police Santa-Cruz had shot her in the face, and that Carmona-Mata had been at the apartment with her to help her move out.

A witness told police he saw a man shoot another man who was already lying on the ground outside one of the apartment buildings. He was later able to identify Santa-Cruz as the gunman from a photo lineup.

Santa-Cruz, who also was taken to Sunrise Hospital, suffered gunshot wounds to the right neck, left shoulder and right thigh. He was booked in absentia into the Clark County Detention Center.

According to detention center records, Santa-Cruz was on probation at the time of his arrest. Court records indicate he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to probation in May 2009.

Santa-Cruz is scheduled to appear before a judge Wednesday morning.