Man runs into downtown Modesto restaurant to escape shooting. Riverbank man arrested
A Riverbank man was charged Tuesday with attempted murder and other crimes after allegedly shooting into Tresetti’s restaurant in downtown Modesto at a man he was chasing, according to police.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear said the victim was walking on J Street toward 11th when he saw several intoxicated women and asked if they needed help.
The victim told police the women began yelling at him and then, for unknown reasons, a man who had been walking toward him on J Street approached and threatened to kill him.
The suspect pulled out a gun and the victim ran around the corner and into Tresetti’s to try to escape.
Bear said the suspect followed and fired once toward the victim “from just inside the door of Tresetti’s.” The bullet struck a wall inside the restaurant and bar but no one was hit.
A police officer who was driving on J Street heard the shot fired then saw the suspect running north across the street as bystanders motioned to him and yelled that he’d shot someone.
The officer got out of his vehicle and ran after the suspect as he headed north on Tenth Street.
Bear said the officer found him hiding behind an orange car on K Street. The suspect surrendered at gunpoint and officers located a firearm near one of the wheels of the car the suspect had been hiding behind.
Officers searched the suspect, identified as 25-year-old Manuel Ruiz, and found he was in possession of methamphetamine, fentanyl, pills and cocaine, in amounts ranging from seven to nine grams each.
The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday charged Ruiz with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, resisting arrest, being a felon in possession of a firearm and multiple counts of possessing drugs for sale.
This story was originally published July 27, 2021 at 11:35 AM.
