Officer testifies in case against teen charged with shooting at party off UK’s campus
A grand jury will hear the case of a 19-year-old accused of firing a shot at a student party off the University of Kentucky’s campus last month after an officer testified in court Tuesday regarding the incident.
Jason Almanza-Arroyo, 19, is charged with 10 counts of second degree assault and other offenses after he allegedly fired a shot that injured 11 people. One person was wounded by the bullet and 10 others were hit by shrapnel and debris from the shot, according to court records.
Another suspect, Juan Guerrero-Zendejas, 20, has been charged with evidence tampering, fleeing police, public alcohol intoxication and resisting arrest in connection to the incident. His case was also sent to a grand jury Tuesday morning.
On Sept. 7, police responded to the 200 block of University Avenue for a report of a shooting with a victim, according to Officer Greg George with the Lexington Police Department, who testified in court Tuesday. Police previously said one shot was fired in the basement inside the home.
UK officials previously said the victim who got shot was a female student. The 10 others who got hurt were also students. None of the injuries were life threatening.
The party was thrown by the Theta Chi fraternity, according to a UK spokesperson. UK officials previously said the suspects arrested were not students and they weren’t invited to the party. UK also said it would launch a student conduct investigation into the situation.
While investigating at the scene, police received a report that the suspect involved in the shooting, Almanza-Arroyo, was spotted walking along University Avenue, George said in court Tuesday. When confronted by officers, Almanza-Arroyo was cursing loudly, refusing to comply and spit in an officer’s mouth during apprehension, according to George.
Police also found a 9 mm handgun on Almanza-Arroyo during his arrest, George said. A victim from the shooting identified Almanza-Arroyo as the shooter.
While investigating, police received an anonymous tip that a third individual, Guerrero-Zendejas, was involved in the incident, according to George. Officers found that Guerrero-Zendejas had a 40-caliber Glock, and the gun matched a shell casing that was found at the scene of the shooting, George said.
Gunshot residue testing was performed on Almanza-Arroyo and Guerrero-Zendejas, George said. Those tests are being processed at the Kentucky State Police forensic lab.
Guerrero-Zendejas’ lawyer, Abe Mashni, argued that the tampering with physical evidence charge was unwarranted given the fact that he was not positively identified at the party. Mashni said there was a possibility that Guerrero-Zendejas received the gun and wasn’t fully aware that it was involved in the shooting.
But prosecutors argued that he should face the charge because he was found within a block of the shooting and because of his previous history with Almanza-Arroyo. The two were allegedly involved in a shooting in April 2020 road rage shooting incident left two people seriously injured.
Almanza-Arroyo and Guerrero-Zendejas were arrested approximately two months later but were later released from jail after they each posted bond, according to court records.
While out on bail, Guerrero-Zendejas was involved in another shooting on Sept. 14, 2021, according to court records.
Judge Lindsay Thurston ultimately determined there was probable cause in his case and sent it to a grand jury. But she did amend his charge of fleeing police down from first degree to second degree after prosecutors agreed to the reduction in severity.
Almanza-Arroyo’s case was also sent to a grand jury.
A grand jury will determine whether or not there is enough evidence to indict the suspects. If so, their case would proceed to circuit court, where a trial could take place.
This story was originally published October 18, 2022 at 12:37 PM.
