DALLAS — A suspect has been arrested in the shooting death of a man who tried to stop car thieves in Dallas last week, according to police.
Dallas police identified the arrested suspect as 30-year-old Alejandro Deleon. Officials say he was arrested last Friday, three days after the shooting that killed 24-year-old Marco Antonio Ramirez.
According to police, Deleon has been charged with murder and was taken to the Dallas County Jail.
The shooting happened on Nov. 14 in the 5300 block of Parry Avenue, near I-30 and Barry Avenue. Police got the call at 4:23 a.m., according to records.
Family members say a red Chevrolet truck that belonged to Ramirez's father near their home was stolen just before the shooting. Juan Ramirez, Marco's brother, told WFAA that his sister witnessed the auto theft and spotted the truck at a nearby home while driving around looking for it.
Ramirez said that she confronted the four thieves, and they hopped in the truck and took off.
"She saw everything happen, and she got out and was like, 'Hey, you took my dad's truck,'" Ramirez said.
According to Ramirez, Marco and his father worked side by side remodeling homes, using that truck daily. Ramirez added that it was more than just a property theft--it was personal.
"When they took that truck, they took part of our livelihood," Ramirez said.
The sister called the police and Marco, per Ramirez, who was in his truck at the time, too.
"She's on the phone with my brother--telling him which street they were heading down, etc," Ramirez said.
A doorbell camera on Parry Ave. captured the suspects speeding by in the stolen truck and then the sister behind them in pursuit. Tires can be heard squealing; the thieves stop because Marco blocked off the street with his truck on the other end.
Moments later, gunshots echoed throughout East Dallas. Marco was gunned down in the street, and the thieves split--abandoning the truck not far from the shooting.
Ramirez said his sister waited for paramedics with her wounded brother.
"He corners them, and they pin them in--that's when they opened fire," Ramirez said.
"All I could think was that my brother was a hero--he didn't think he just went straight into it. You know--you expect thieves to run when they get caught--that didn't happen, and now we've lost a family member," Ramirez said.
Ramirez said that Marco was working to grow his and his father's business so that his father could eventually retire. He added that his brother loved to fish, would do anything for anyone at the drop of a hat, and loved hanging out with friends.
He said they bonded during a recent trip to Yellowstone National Park, one they both funded for the entire family to enjoy.
"He was just such a fun person. He personified everything there is to being an American citizen. He was the American dream. That's who he was. My family planted the ladder so we could climb it, and that's what he was doing," Ramirez said.
If you know anything about this shooting, call the police.
According to the Dallas Police Department, motor vehicle theft is up 42% year to date in 2023 compared to this time last year. The numbers are 16,432, compared to 11,601 at this time last year.
NOTE: The following video was uploaded prior to the suspect's arrest.
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