GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Saul Rodriguez, 19, was sentenced Thursday for his role in a 2024 shootout with Grand Rapids Police after accepting a plea deal.

Rodriguez pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with intent to murder and two firearms charges, while the remaining charges were dropped. His jury trial was officially canceled following the plea.

The confrontation took place on March 2, 2024, just before 11:45 p.m. Police had pulled over a vehicle on S. Division Avenue when Rodriguez, who was in the backseat, fled the scene.

Bodycam footage shows two officers pursuing him into an alley. According to Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom, Rodriguez had no legal right to flee the traffic stop.

Rodriguez ran between two houses on Horton Avenue, pulled a semi-automatic handgun, and fired multiple rounds at the officers. Both officers returned fire. No one was struck.

Rodriguez managed to escape and was arrested three days later on an unrelated warrant.

Court documents reveal Rodriguez confessed to being the individual who fled and admitted to firing one shot at the ground before discarding the weapon. However, an officer involved said Rodriguez fired between three and five shots.

Police recovered a tan-colored Glock, matching a firearm Rodriguez had previously posted in a photo on social media. A Snapchat message also surfaced in which Rodriguez told his brother, “Im gonna get attempt murder on a cop.”

Rodriguez’s girlfriend confirmed to detectives that he came to her home several hours after the shooting and said he had “done something bad,” later admitting he had shot at police.

Two others were in the car at the time of the stop but were not charged.

Rodriguez was sentenced to 34 months to 10 years in prison, plus an additional two years for felony firearm.

This article has been carefully fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and eliminate any misleading information. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in our content.