Modesto shooting suspect found in trash can

A man suspected of attempted murder was found hiding in a trash can in west Modesto after running from officers Tuesday.

Officers with Modesto Police Department’s Street Gang Unit spotted the suspect standing with two other people in a front yard in the 700 block of Wade Avenue, just south of Paradise Road.

Michael Damian, 27, is suspected of shooting a man as he ran from him in an alley behind the Glo Worm on Yosemite Boulevard on Aug. 31, according to Modesto Police spokeswoman Heather Graves. She said the two knew each other and previously been involved in a conflict.

As officers approached the group on Tuesday afternoon, Damian and another man ran.

The other man was caught very quickly and taken into custody at gunpoint. The woman he was with was also apprehended.

As a search team was assembled to locate Damian, an officer found him hiding in a trash can in the neighborhood. He was was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and delaying an investigation, according to Graves.

The other man, 20-year-old James Cruz, was wanted by the Fairfield Police Department in Connection with a murder there. The woman 19-year-old Gisela Rodriguez had been reported missing out of Fairfield. A missing persons post by the California Department of Justice says she was last seen in February and is believed to be with Cruz; the post warns he may be armed and dangerous.

Cruz was arrested, as was Rodriguez after she allegedly lied about Cruz’s identity.

If you have any information regarding criminal activity, please call Crime Stoppers at (209) 521-4636. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Tipsters may also text information to Crime Stoppers at 274637. Type “TIP704” along with your message.

This story was originally published November 11, 2015 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Modesto shooting suspect found in trash can."