The Associated Press
RENO, Nev. (AP) - An unemployed security guard suspected of terrorizing community leaders with death threats, hate-laced graffiti and random shootings has been arrested in California, police said Tuesday.
Gary C. Rosales, 43, of Reno, was arrested Monday in Whittier, Calif., where he was being held on seven felony counts of shooting a firearm into homes in southwest Reno. No one was injured.
Additional charges are expected as the investigation continues, authorities said. No motive has been established and bail was set at $250,000.
The crime spree began in 1999 with death threats targeting the county district attorney, the former Reno police chief and other officers and their families, authorities said.
More than 100 threats were received in the form of graphic graffiti spray painted on homes, businesses, churches, synagogues and other locations, said acting Chief Jim Weston, who was also targeted.
Threats also were made against the families of officers recently killed in the line of duty, Weston said, and later became more personal, involving letters, phone calls and stalking.
“It was a very uncomfortable five years to go through,” Weston said.
A break in the case came last month, when investigators were able to link the graffiti suspect to seven random, late-night shootings into occupied homes. No one was hurt in those incidents.
A task force involving Reno police, the FBI and immigration and customs agents was formed and Rosales was identified using surveillance and tracking devices, authorities said.
“For some reason he had a real serious hang-up with police officers,” said Washoe County District Attorney Dick Gammick. “We were just real concerned somebody was going to get killed out of this.”
Since his arrest, Rosales has been cooperating with detectives, Weston said. “He’s given us enough information to indicate we’re on the right track,” Weston said.
The shooting victims apparently were picked at random, and none of the officers recall any direct contact with him. “We just don’t know what his motive was at this point,” Weston said.