Last night, June 28, just after 9:30 p.m,, the Garland Police Department responded to a weapons disturbance at the intersection of South First Street and Glenfield Drive. The information officers received was of a male armed with guns shooting them into the air.
Officers learned that the suspect, later identified as 29-year-old Gabriel Cobarrubias, resident of Dallas, arrived at the convenience store, blocking a patron’s vehicle in the parking lot with a red Infiniti. When asked to move his vehicle by an employee, Cobarrubias produced two handguns and fired them into the air, yelling, “what are you going to do.”
When officers arrived, the Infiniti was located in the parking lot of the convenience store with the engine running; Cobarrubias was not seen. Cobarrubias was later observed to exit the store and begin walking toward his car. Not knowing where the guns were, officers gave Cobarrubias commands to surrender, but he refused and retreated back into the store. After attempting to communicate with Cobarrubias, he eventually exited the store and began to quickly walk toward his vehicle.
Due to the report of Cobarrubias shooting guns near the convenience store, and not knowing where the guns were, officers ordered Cobarrubias away from the vehicle. Cobarrubias ignored the officer’s commands and entered the Infiniti. One officer attempted to detain him by reaching into the driver’s door.
Cobarrubias put the Infiniti into reverse and quickly backed up, trying to flee. When he did this, the officer was trapped and dragged through the parking lot. When Cobarrubias turned the wheel, it freed the officer, but his leg was run over. The passenger door struck the other officer.
The DPS helicopter was able to assist and tracked Cobarrubias as he fled through the residential neighborhood at a high rate of speed. Cobarrubias finally stopped in the south ally in the 2000 block of Merrimac Trail. The helicopter saw Cobarrubias approach the rear door of a house but then flee into a nearby field.
A Garland K-9 officer responded with his police service dog. With the assistance of the DPS helicopter and the K-9 unit, Cobarrubias was located in a drainage pipe and arrested. During the arrest, the police service dog was injured by Cobarrubias. Officers located the handgun which was hidden in the backyard of the house on Merrimac Trail. The second was also recovered.
Investigating officers learned Cobarrubias had an active felony warrant for Burglary of Building out of Dallas County.
The officer dragged by Cobarrubias was transported to a hospital where it was learned he suffered a fractured tailbone. The officer also suffered numerous abrasions to his arms and legs. He was later released.
The second officer suffered minor injuries to his knee and hip from being struck by the door.
Cobarrubias is currently in the Garland Detention Center on multiple charges, including two counts of Aggravated Assault against a Police Officer, Discharge of Firearms in Certain Municipalities and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by Felon.