Roland Caballero: Houston felon with long rap sheet arrested for shooting three cops
HOUSTON, TEXAS: A 31-year-old man in Houston has been charged with three counts of attempted capital murder after shooting three Houston Police Department (HPD) officers on January 27. According to the department, two of the officers have been discharged from the hospital, and a third is still recovering and in stable condition.
The three officers join a worrying growing list of police officers who have been shot at in the line of duty. On January 11, an off-duty LAPD officer was killed while house hunting with his girlfriend, when the two were stopped by robbers. Days later, two NYPD officers were killed by Lawshawn McNeil while investigating a domestic violence incident. The wife of Officer Jason Rivera, one of those killed by McNeil, has blamed Manhattan's DA for her husband's death, sparking a major row in the city.
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Thankfully, all three officers who Roland Caballero shot in Houston appear to be ok. HPD identified them as officers Gadson, Hayden, and Alvarez. The charges against Caballero are reportedly just the latest in a long list of ones against the convicted felon.
Who is Roland Caballero?
The 31-year-old appears to be a career criminal with a long rap sheet. He had an open warrant in his name for two charges - unlawful possession of a weapon and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. That warrant reportedly stemmed from a December 28, 2021, robbery at an auto shop in Katy, just west of Houston. He reportedly held an employee at gunpoint, before stealing $30,000 worth of items and fleeing.
His rap sheet stretches as far back as 2008 when he was first charged with deadly conduct at the age of 18. On that charge, he spent five days in jail after a plea bargain. He was then arrested twice in 2009, once in 2010, and then almost every year since. Several of his charges are also related to drugs, such as one in December 2013 when he was found in possession of heroin. He has also been arrested for possession of marijuana, cocaine, and driving while intoxicated.
Overall, Caballero has been convicted of five felony charges and spent several years in jail, but appears to have failed to mend his ways. On January 27, police were first alerted to his presence after a disturbance call was made, and when they arrived he fled in a car. The chase ended a short while later after Caballero crashed, leading him to begin shooting at the officers. He then carjacked a Mercedez-Benz, and fled, driving to a home in the 1800 block of Lockwood. Caballero barricaded himself in the home and was involved in an hours-long standoff with HPD before he surrendered later that evening.
During the process, he appeared to have been shot in the neck and was taken to hospital after surrendering. According to reports, he is still in the hospital being treated. It's unclear who owns the house Caballero barricaded himself in. From the scene, police also recovered a modified gun, which they believe was created on a 3D printer. That discovery could lead him to be slapped with more charges, but for now, he only faces the three attempted murder counts.
ABC13 reported that once he is discharged from jail, Caballero will be taken to the Harris County jail. If found guilty, he faces anywhere between five and 99 years in prison, or fines up to $10,000. Alternatively, prosecutors can also seek the death penalty or life in prison without parole.