Suspects identified in Modesto shooting that led to manhunt

At the scene of a shooting that prompted a pursuit and massive manhunt Monday, detectives collected shell casings indicating there was an exchange of gunfire between two suspects and at least one other person.

It’s unclear if a Modesto motorcycle officer who radioed the “shots fired” call was in the crossfire or just very close to the exchange, but when he called for backup, he relayed that shots were fired at him, said Modesto police spokeswoman Heather Graves on Tuesday.

The two suspects in the green car from which shots were allegedly fired were identified Tuesday as Jesus Diaz, 34, and Argenis Perez, 19, both of Modesto.

Graves said the motorcycle officer was conducting traffic enforcement near Carver Court when he witnessed “a disturbance between several subjects.”

“Shortly after contacting two men in a car, gunfire erupted and the car fled from the area,” Graves said in a news release. “The officer pursued the car until he lost sight of it near Morris Avenue. A short time later, the car was found abandoned near Cedar Avenue and Kimble Street.”

A Modesto resident driving home from the post office found a gun along the pursuit route, took it home and called police. Graves said detectives believe it was one of the guns fired on Carver Court.

Modesto police officers were joined by sheriff’s deputies, California Highway Patrol officers and undercover officers with the Stanislaus Auto Theft Task Force in the search for Diaz and Perez, which locked down a neighborhood west of the cemetery on Scenic Drive.

Diaz and Perez were found hiding in a fourplex on High Street after one the residents said she found her upstairs neighbor’s window was broken and a cell phone on the balcony. The resident said text messages were pouring into the cell phone and she caught a glimpse of one saying, “They are looking for you in a green Honda.”

Graves said Diaz’s sister Irene Diaz, 25, was arrested after she sneaked into the perimeter twice.

“There was evidence that phone calls were being made between Irene and Jesus,” Graves said.

Irene Diaz was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and obstructing.

Her brother and Perez were arrested when they emerged from the High Street home with their hands in the air several hours after Modesto police and sheriff’s SWAT teams surrounded it.

They were arrested on suspicion of a variety of charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and obstruction.

This story was originally published April 28, 2015 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Suspects identified in Modesto shooting that led to manhunt."