Officers identified weeks after fatal shooting of Nash County man
The Nash County Sheriff's Office on Thursday identified the three officers involved in the Feb. 9 shooting of Jonathan Ramirez.
Posted — UpdatedAccording to officials, Sgt. John Winstead, Deputy Stan Ricks, and Detective Taylor Neal responded to the 1200 block of Maudis Road in Bailey after a woman called 911 to report a sexual assault.
The woman identified the suspect as 29-year-old Ramirez and told officials he had a weapon. She followed him to provide emergency responders with his location.
Deputies shot at Ramirez when they saw him get out of a car with a weapon that looked like an AR-15, officials said. He died at the scene.
According to Thursday's statement, the deputies involved have over 40 years of law enforcement experience combined. Winstead has nearly 16 years of law enforcement experience, Ricks has nearly 20 years and Neal has almost five years.
Francisa Ramirez said she ran outside when she heard gunfire and saw her son on the ground.
"He would never shoot at police, he would never shoot at nobody," Francisa Ramirez, Jonathan Ramirez’s mother, said. “I heard some shooting and ran outside, and my son was on the (ground),” Francisa Ramirez said. “My niece was screaming, ‘the police shot Johnny, the police shot Johnny.’”
“He was laying on the floor with a lot of blood in his chest,” she continued.
The officers involved were on administrative leave while the State Bureau of Investigation examines the case.
Leonel Valencia Jr., a neighbor, said bullets went through his home.
“There are holes above my couch, about five inches above where someone’s head would be if they were sitting down,” he said.
He said he knew Jonathan Ramirez since the two were children.
“He was a great guy, wouldn’t hurt no one,” Valencia said. “He is like a brother.”
Hors after Jonathan Ramierez's death, family members were still emotional and trying to understand what led to the shooting.
"I've been crying all day. It's just really crazy," his cousin, Cianca Castillo, said. "He was a really sweet guy. He would always ask you how you are, if you needed anything."
Francisa Ramirez said she didn’t believe her son would try to hurt law enforcement officers. She said she didn't hear a disturbance before the shooting and didn't think her son was armed.
"I want justice for my son. When someone calls the police, it's for police to come and protect us, not to come and kill us," she said.
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