Full Notification

Modesto, CA -

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office is saddened to announce the recent death of a teen-aged male juvenile who was involved in a vehicle pursuit with patrol deputies during the late overnight hours of early Tuesday, May 18, 2021.  

According to investigators with the Crimes Against Persons Unit, an officer involved shooting took place at approximately 2 a.m. at the conclusion of a chase near the intersection of Finch and McClure Roads in unincorporated Modesto.  The sole law enforcement officer involved in the critical incident has been identified as four-year veteran Deputy Gerardo Zazueta.    

The vehicle was occupied by five teenagers, and the driver was the lone occupant struck by law enforcement gunfire.  He was being treated by healthcare professionals at a nearby local hospital last week; however, succumbed to his injuries late Friday night on May 21st.  The 17-year-old driver’s name, his hometown, and other identifying details will continue to remain confidential given he was a minor.  

Our investigation is still very much underway, and our detectives continue to work with Internal Affairs, the Coroner’s Office, and the District Attorney’s Office to ensure the remaining details are gathered for submittal and their eventual review.  

We fully plan on releasing body worn camera imagery just as soon as the proper footage can be collected, prepared, produced and released via our departmental YouTube page.  No estimated date of release is available; although, we will remain in compliance with our statutory mandates.  

Members of the public are still encouraged to contact case agent Detective Gonzalez by calling 209-595-8686 to provide any relevant witness statements.  Tipsters can choose to remain anonymous by calling Crimes Stoppers at 1-866-602-7463 or download the P3 Tip application for your mobile device.  Callers could be eligible for a cash reward in certain instances.