A.D. Ibarra

-La Herradura

          Extreme violence of the pre-meditated array reared its ugly head again in the southernmost sector of Maverick County, the 3100 Block of La Herradura Road where Jesus Raul Balderas, 43, was shot twice in an incident which alerted neighbors and led at least one eyewitness to the shooting to summon authorities.

         "If I had not called the ambulance, he surely would have bled to death," stated the eyewitness on Sunday afternoon.

When Sheriff Department personnel arrived on the scene at 3152 La Herradura Road they did so to find Balderas sprawled in the rear of his property with two gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen.

          Emergency medical personnel arrived and rendered first aid to the victim before transporting him to the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center from where he was airlifted to San Antonio due to the severity of his injuries.

          An eyewitness to the shooting informed The News Gram that the victim was seen on the porch of his home where he was verbally assaulted by two individuals before at least one of the men opened fire on Balderas causing him to attempt to flee from his assailants.

         Seven shots rang into the air as Balderas fell to the ground before the two men returned to their vehicle and fled the scene.

          According to Sheriff Tom Schmerber, the two subjects were apprehended at International Bridge II by Texas Ranger Roger Dixon and port officials as they attempted to escape into our neighboring country of Mexico.

        Jose Ramos, Jr. and Adalberto Baca were arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and are being held in the Tom Bowles Detention Center.

          Balderas is in critical but stable condition as he heals from two gunshot wounds one in the chest and the other in the stomach and as of the publication of this article, the weapon has not yet been retrieved although Dixon and the Texas Rangers continue investigating this crime.