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A Mexican national with a history of deportation and a past conviction for attempted homicide was apprehended in Texas over the Memorial Day weekend. The arrest followed a dramatic standoff where he allegedly fired multiple gunshots at his neighbors, ultimately leading to his capture by a SWAT team.
On May 24, 60-year-old Juan Ayala Montero was taken into custody in Montgomery County. He faces charges of felony deadly conduct related to discharging a firearm.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reported that Ayala was armed with a long gun and actively shooting at several individuals in the Kings Colony neighborhood when deputies arrived on the scene.
Upon the arrival of a substantial law enforcement presence, Ayala retreated into his residence and barricaded himself inside, according to authorities.
Images released show Juan Ayala Montero from a prior Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) photo and a recent booking photo from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office following his arrest. Officials state that the twice-deported individual was apprehended after allegedly firing several rounds in the residential area.
The standoff ended after the arrival of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, at which point Ayala surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident.
Investigators recovered approximately 31 shell casings from the scene and said evidence showed multiple rounds were fired toward homes and residents.
Witnesses told investigators they attempted to de-escalate the situation and convince Ayala to put down the weapon, but he continued firing, authorities said.
Authorities in Montgomery County, Texas, arrested Juan Ayala Montero after he allegedly fired multiple rounds in a residential neighborhood over Memorial Day weekend. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Initial 911 calls indicated there were multiple victims. Investigators later determined only one person, a 17-year-old male, had been struck by gunfire. The teenager was treated and released from a local hospital.
Authorities said the shooting stemmed from an altercation between Ayala and the teenager.
The juvenile was later charged with making a false report to a peace officer after investigators determined information he initially provided to law enforcement was untruthful and hindered the investigation.
A twice-deported Mexican national with a prior attempted homicide conviction was arrested in Texas after authorities say he fired dozens of rounds at neighbors during a Memorial Day weekend standoff that ended with a SWAT team surrender. (Fox News)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Monday that Ayala is also the subject of an immigration detainer and federal detainer after authorities determined he was in the country illegally.
Ayala, a Mexican citizen, had previously been deported from the U.S. twice and illegally reentered the country multiple times.
He was convicted of attempted homicide and criminal trespass while living in the U.S. illegally.
An immigration judge ordered him removed on Aug. 31, 1999, and he was deported to Mexico on Aug. 30, 2000.
After allegedly returning illegally, he was encountered again by immigration officials following a 2006 arrest by the Dallas Police Department. He was transferred into ICE custody and removed to Mexico that same day.
Authorities allege Ayala illegally entered the U.S. for a third time on an unknown date before his most recent arrest.
Montgomery County jail records show Ayala is being held on an $80,000 bond on the deadly conduct charge. The records also show an ICE hold and federal detainer have been lodged against him.
Authorities credited the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office’s participation in ICE’s 287(g) program with helping quickly identify Ayala’s immigration status and secure a detainer.
“The arrest and placement of an immigration detainer on this violent criminal illegal alien is another example of the positive impact that the 287(g) program has on increasing public safety in our local communities,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez said in a statement.
“By participating in the program, it provides our state and local law enforcement partners with another tool to prevent dangerous criminal illegal aliens like Ayala from being released back into the community where they will likely reoffend,” Martinez added.
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