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Shortly before 3 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14, a New Rochelle police officer on patrol found a man, later identified as city resident Andres Valenzuela, on the ground in the parking lot of Juliano’s Caterer’s on Main Street with two apparent gunshot wounds.
New Rochelle Police Capt. J. Collins Coyne said that he was transported to an area hospital, where he later died from his wounds.
The fatal shooting led to an extensive investigation by the New Rochelle Police Department, Westchester County Police, and FBI, which led to investigators identifying Percell Lamont Ross, age 52, of Covington, Virginia, as a suspect.
Coyne said that at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 17, investigators surveilling a housing complex in Brooklyn where Ross was believed to be staying led to detectives attempting to apprehend him, leading to a shootout.
“As the police identified themselves and ordered him to stop, the suspect began shooting at the police and attempted to flee on foot,” Coyne said. “The suspect continued to shoot at police in various directions as they converged on him.”
During the incident, several officers returned fire until Ross surrendered himself to police when he ran out of bullets.
No injuries were reported.
Ross was taken into custody by New Rochelle Police detectives and turned over to the FBI.
Police seized a .22 caliber handgun believed to have been used in the murder of Valenzuela. It is currently under a ballistics check by investigators.
Coyne said that Ross had already been facing federal charges in addition to the murder charge for allegedly killing Valenzuela. He is also wanted in Connecticut for alleged attempted murder and for alleged sex trafficking in Virginia.
This is a developing story.
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