LOS ANGELES – A rookie Los Angeles police officer being sought in connection with a fatal shooting fled to El Paso, Texas, with the help of his father, according to a federal arrest warrant issued Thursday. [View the federal extradition warrant here.]
Henry Solis, who was fired Tuesday from the LAPD, remains at large. He is suspected of pursuing and gunning down Salome Rodriguez Jr., 23, after getting into a fight with the victim in downtown Pomona on Friday, March 13.
According to an affidavit filed in support of a federal arrest warrant, investigators learned from family members, friends and witnesses that after the shooting, “Solis made incriminating statements about his role in the murder of Rodriguez and stated that he would never be seen again.”
“That same day, defendant Solis is known to have called his father’s (Victor Solis) home in Lancaster, California. Shortly after these phone calls, Victor Solis left his Lancaster home in a hurry,” the affidavit states.
On Saturday, March 14, Victor Solis, his pickup truck and dog were seen in El Paso at the home of family members; Victor Solis was interviewed that day by El Paso FBI agents, according to the federal document.
“Victor Solis advised the agents that he drove his son, defendant Solis, to El Paso on Friday, March 13, 2015, and dropped him off at a bus station, but he does not know where defendant Solis is,” the affidavit states.
A local arrest warrant for Henry Solis was issued Monday.
Before announcing Henry Solis’ firing, Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck urged the fugitive to surrender, saying he has “dishonored” the department.
“The mere fact that he is not cooperating with the Pomona Police Department and he has not shown up for work is sufficient to terminate,” Beck said.
Henry Solis was hired last June and has been out in the field in the San Fernando Valley’s Devonshire Division since November. He was in the Marine Corps before joining the police department.
Looking at his background, there are “no obvious indications that he had a propensity for this,” Beck said.
Rodriguez was gunned down near Third and Main streets in Pomona around 3:30 a.m. Friday following a fistfight at a nearby bar. He died at a hospital.
On Sunday afternoon, police recovered Henry Solis’ Volkswagen Jetta near the intersection of Main Street and Monterey Avenue, about four blocks from the shooting scene.
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UPDATED 3/20/15: A reward of up to $25,000 was announced today for information leading directly to the arrest of Henry Solis, the 27-year-old rookie police officer wanted for fatally shooting a man in Pomona.
View the FBI’s wanted poster that mentions the reward here. Authorities have not announced the status of Lancaster resident Victor Solis, who allegedly admitted to driving his son to El Paso,Texas, shortly after the killing.
FTAV says
Another scumbag cop. Dime a dozen.
jack says
Let me guess? he’s down in mexico to? And its Obama fault? Lmao.
no more says
And youre right, this is the begining of, south of the boarder policia in this country. Sad to say…
Israel says
The son is in Mexico if the us would let US cops or agent bring him back I would go just to bring justice
Not surprised says
I’m not surprised that the father would help his son. Most fathers would, I’m assuming the father wouldn’t be happy about his sons actions but what father isn’t going to have his sons back regardless of the situation. If it was my daughter I would never just hand her over to authorities. Probably goes the same for this man and his son who is now accused of murdering some dude but only about a month ago his son was a Los Angeles police officer. I’m sure it’s not easy on his father either but what’s the man to do hand his son over. give me a break I will take my charge of aiding and abedding my child..duh and I think your crazy if you don’t help ur child. I think ur crazy if u put your child away in that hell hole of a place ( the county jail). If there gonna put themselves in there, theirs nothing u can do about that but deal with it but damn if I’m gonna be the one to put them in jail. Guess again?. I don’t blame the father. A cop would probably help his son too . Rather than hand them over. But then again u can’t trust cops so who really knows what they would do can’t speak for them nor do I want to….
Mark says
and that’s what makes you a typical Antelope Valley pos
Dust says
If your daughter was wanted for murder, you would hide her from the police? Even if she admitted it? This is a cruel world we live in, made all the worse by people like you. I would be in favor of charging any parent that did that as an accomplice. The man was charged with enforcing law, but instead dished out a murder sentence over an argument. This wasn’t a case of victim shoots perpetrator. He was killed in cold blood, and you defend the father that allowed him to escape. That is sick man.
Gowchong says
Hard for me to imagine that the dad had no clue, especially after spending 11 and a half hours in an automobile traveling from Lancaster (or wherever) to El Paso. Unless the son was absolutely tight lipped and said nothing the whole 11 hours. One would assume that there had to be some conversation about why out of the blue the dad had to take the son all the way to El Paso. Why didn’t the son hop on a plane and fly there? And other questions that would have cued suspicion if the son said “never mind” or “none of your business” or “I don’t want to talk about it”.
The dad knows.
moll flanders says
I hope if the father is communicating with his son, that he would try to convince him to turn himself in as soon as possible. When a wanted poster says suspect might be armed and dangerous, anything can happen, with more lives being lost, including his own.
Mark says
Just my guess, but I think the father know. I can’t imagine the son asking out of the blue for a ride to El Paso TX, and his dad not knowing why. Then again who knows? And it has to be proven.
Tonia Fisher says
wow, most likely the father knew.
Mark says
Make me wonder what cops get away with when they are on duty
Dust says
Cops are people. Just as a large population will have its bad apples, so too do the police agencies. But the way you worded your statement, it hints that you have some kind of intolerance for police, and you do not consider that they are just the same as regular people. So instead, you might have said, “Makes me wonder what people get away with when on a job”, etc. Or we could just go back to the middle ages where people raided and pillaged, plundered and raped without repercussion. But the choice really isn’t yours to make, is it? :)
Roy says
If the father had no knowledge of the crime he did not commit a crime..Considering the news of the incident wasn’t public until later in the day its possible the father had no knowledge of the crime unless his son told him what he had done. And if they were already en route to El Paso they would not have even heard any news about this on the radio as it would have been a local news story only..
Disgusted says
I only have one question….Will the authorities also issue a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Victor Solis for the aiding and abetting of his fugitive son!?