Murder Suspect Killed And Two Edinburg Police Officers Reported Shot

After nearly a four stand-off, a Texas gang member suspected of murdering a Mexican national is killed after shooting two Edinburg police officers.

By H. Nelson Goodson

July 22, 2014

La Joya, Texas - On Tuesday, Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra confirmed during a news conference shortly before 9:00 p.m. that Joaquin Cibrian, 29, had been killed during a shootout and stand-off in a La Joya neighborhood.  Cibrian, a Syndicate gang member was wanted by the Edinburg Police Department for capitol murder in connection with the death of Gerardo Omar Melendez Verdin, 19, a Mexican national whose body was discovered in the property of a vacant home in Edinburg.

Cibrian allegedly shot several Edinburg police officers while they attempted to serve a warrant in La Joya for the murder of Verdin. The wounded officers were removed from the scene after police were able to reach them and provide cover for their extraction from the area. They were taken to local hospital for treatment. 

Dramatic video of the multiple shootouts and the stand-off was posted on Facebook by Edwin Gonzalez as it was unfolding and ended with the death of Cibrian. Gonzalez lives several houses from where Cibrian had barricaded himself and warned police that he had planted explosives inside the home. The McAllen Police bomb squad assisted at the scene.

Law enforcement agencies involved in the standoff and shootings were, the Edinburg Police Department, La Joya Police, McAllen Police, Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Border Patrol, Texas Rangers and U.S. Marshal's Service.

Edwin Gonzalez's La Joya shootout video posted on Facebook: http://alturl.com/9e9kv