[South Texas:]Man shot in the leg at San Juan voting site

The Monitor ^ | May 29, 2012 | Elizabeth Findell

[SwinneySwitch]

SAN JUAN—A man campaigning here was rushed to the hospital Tuesday morning after apparently being shot from a passing vehicle.

Witnesses said Jose Sanchez, 55, was holding a campaign sign for constable candidate Hector “JoJo” Mendez in front of a polling location at the San Juan Fire Station No. 2, 2301 N. Raul Longoria, when he was shot in the leg about 11 a.m.

“He said ‘Oye—they shot me,’” said Leticia Rodriguez, who was campaigning for Mendez’s opponent Martin “Marty” Cantu and helping Sanchez put up a tent shortly before the incident.

Witness Ramiro Treviño said he didn’t hear the shot, but saw Sanchez stumble from the side of the street where he had been waving a Mendez sign.

“He fell down and then they sat him down,” Treviño said. “I don’t know if it was a pellet gun or a .22, but it was a small caliber thing. There was some bleeding. I pulled up his pant leg and pulled down his sock.”

Authorities responded quickly, as the location is also the city police station. Sanchez was transported to McAllen Medical Center, where his injuries are considered non-life threatening, said Chief Juan Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said investigators are seeking a red pickup truck as a possible suspect vehicle. Witnesses said the vehicle was northbound on Raul Longoria when the shot came from the passenger side window. It remains unclear how many occupants were in the vehicle.

Rodriguez said she didn’t know Sanchez well and had no idea what could have prompted the violence.

“Why him? Why?” she said. “I’ve been here for two weeks and this is the first time he’s come.”

Mendez, who was not at the location at the time of the shooting, said he was concerned. He said Sanchez was a paid campaign worker whom he did not know very well.

“He walked up to me in Pharr at the Pepe Salinas Civic Center and asked if he could help us out,” he said.

Mendez said he was heading to the hospital where his campaign would try to help Sanchez with any medical needs. He added that he hoped the incident wouldn’t keep voters from the polls.

“The people who want to come out and vote—they could feel threatened,” he said. “(I’d tell them) not to be afraid to go out and vote.”

The polling location remained open through the hubbub outside and will be open for the rest of the day. Some 45 people had voted as of 11:30 a.m.

“We don’t know what exactly the motive was,” Gonzalez said. “It’s going to be a long day, this election day.”

[SwinneySwitch]

Police are calling in extra security to the polling location.