Crime
Officer Shot Outside WakeMed Garner Emergency Department, Suspect in Custody
GARNER, NC (Wake County) — A law enforcement officer was shot outside the WakeMed Garner Emergency Department located in the 400 block of Goldsboro Highway, prompting a massive police response and temporary lockdown of the facility.
According to initial reports, the incident occurred just after 8:00 p.m., when an unidentified suspect opened fire near the hospital entrance, striking a police officer.
Emergency personnel inside the facility immediately initiated trauma protocols while securing the scene to prevent further danger to staff, patients, and visitors.
The wounded officer was quickly stabilized at the scene by medical personnel and subsequently transported under police escort to a regional trauma center in Raleigh for advanced treatment.
As of this time, no official update has been released regarding the officer’s condition.
Authorities confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody shortly after the shooting without further incident.
Investigators have emphasized that the officer was the only victim in the attack, and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Law enforcement agencies from across Wake County—including the Garner Police Department, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, and North Carolina State Highway Patrol—responded to assist in securing the perimeter and clearing the hospital building to ensure the safety of all occupants.
WakeMed officials released a brief statement acknowledging the incident and commending first responders for their swift actions, stating that hospital operations have since resumed under heightened security.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has been called in to lead the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
Further details, including the identities of the officer and the suspect, have not yet been released pending notification of family members.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area as the investigation remains active and heavy law enforcement presence continues at and around WakeMed Garner Emergency Department.
Crime
New Mexico Teen Darren Munoz Charged With Orchestrating Parents’ Murders in Alleged Financial Plot
A 19-year-old New Mexico man is facing multiple murder-related charges after authorities allege he arranged the killings of his father and stepmother as part of a plan to gain control of their finances and property.
Darren Munoz, 19, is accused of recruiting a friend, 18-year-old Julio Zamora, to carry out the fatal shootings of Oscar Munoz, 58, and Dina Munoz, 71, inside the family’s home in Clovis, New Mexico—located more than 200 miles east of Albuquerque.
Both suspects were taken into custody on Monday, December 15.
According to an arrest affidavit, investigators believe the killings were premeditated and planned over the course of weeks or months. Authorities allege Munoz intended to seize his parents’ assets and financial holdings and believed his father owned an Allsups convenience store franchise, a chain operating hundreds of locations across Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
Prosecutors allege the plan called for Zamora to enter the residence through the garage during the early morning hours and shoot both victims while they slept.
Investigators also identified a second individual as a potential backup should Zamora fail to carry out the plan.
Police were dispatched to the Clovis residence at approximately 4:50 a.m. on December 15 after receiving a report of a possible burglary.
Upon arrival, officers found Munoz standing near the open garage.
According to police, Munoz told officers there was no emergency and attempted to dissuade them from entering the home, stating his parents were asleep.
Officers were eventually permitted inside the residence.
Investigators state that Munoz later emerged from a bedroom with blood on his hands.
Both Oscar and Dina Munoz had sustained gunshot wounds to the head. Dina Munoz was pronounced dead at the scene, while Oscar Munoz was transported to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, where he later died from his injuries.
Munoz reportedly told investigators he was awakened by the sound of the garage door alarm but claimed he did not hear any gunshots.
Authorities noted that this account appeared inconsistent with the home’s layout.
Investigators also reported there were no signs of forced entry and no evidence that property had been stolen.
Additional evidence surfaced during the investigation, including statements from Munoz’s girlfriend, who told police he had previously discussed trading an AR-style rifle for another firearm.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Munoz carrying a 9mm Glock handgun several hours before the killings. Investigators also confirmed that Munoz, Zamora, and others had recently purchased 9mm ammunition together.
Zamora was later arrested outside his residence, where authorities recovered a 9mm Glock handgun believed to have been used in the murders.
Investigators allege Zamora admitted that Munoz asked him to kill his parents.
Darren Munoz is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and solicitation to commit first-degree murder.
Julio Zamora faces two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Both defendants have entered not guilty pleas as the case proceeds through the court system.