Man Shot in Wheatland, Person Of Interest Sought
By: Mark Gruba
Updated: June 19, 2012
Police are searching for a person of interest after a man was found shot on a rural road in Wheatland Monday afternoon.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office confirms the victim is 42-year-old Angel Figueroa of Rochester.
He suffered a bullet wound to his left side near his ribs. His injury was not believed to be life-threatening. He was taken to Strong Hospital by ambulence and underwent surgery. As of early evening Tuesday Figueroa was in critical condition at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Investigators are looking for a green SUV, similar to a Ford Explorer, and a male driver. The victim described both to police. The driver is wanted as a person of interest.
Concerned citizens began calling 911 just after 4 p.m. after seeing the bleeding man standing on the side of Smith Road in Wheatland, about a half mile from Union Street. "There was some language issues," said Koster. "He's an hispanic male and he spoke very poor, broken-type English."
The victim was able to describe the green SUV and the driver to investigators. K9 units were brought in to sniff out gunshot nitrates, and a helicopter circled overhead, looking for the vehicle and any evidence hidden in the fields. "It's very rural out here," noted Koster. "We have no witnesses to the actual shooting."
The helicopter is how Philip Neely, bass player for Tamara Marcella Ministries, learned something was wrong. The group practices Monday night's at One Road Church, just across from Smith Road. "I pull up and was greeted by two Troopers, and started to go in and they both pulled over and said you can't go in, we got a helicopter zone here, it's an emergency landing," said Neely.
The helicopter was later called off. Neely was surprised to learn of the shooting, but not shocked it happened in such a remote setting. "We get this going on all around the Rochester area, Buffalo, everywhere, it's kind of a shame, but it's the way it is," he said.
Investigators do not believe this shooting was a random act. They aren't sure of the motive or even where precisely it happened. Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office confirms the victim is 42-year-old Angel Figueroa of Rochester.
He suffered a bullet wound to his left side near his ribs. His injury was not believed to be life-threatening. He was taken to Strong Hospital by ambulence and underwent surgery. As of early evening Tuesday Figueroa was in critical condition at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Investigators are looking for a green SUV, similar to a Ford Explorer, and a male driver. The victim described both to police. The driver is wanted as a person of interest.
Concerned citizens began calling 911 just after 4 p.m. after seeing the bleeding man standing on the side of Smith Road in Wheatland, about a half mile from Union Street. "There was some language issues," said Koster. "He's an hispanic male and he spoke very poor, broken-type English."
The victim was able to describe the green SUV and the driver to investigators. K9 units were brought in to sniff out gunshot nitrates, and a helicopter circled overhead, looking for the vehicle and any evidence hidden in the fields. "It's very rural out here," noted Koster. "We have no witnesses to the actual shooting."
The helicopter is how Philip Neely, bass player for Tamara Marcella Ministries, learned something was wrong. The group practices Monday night's at One Road Church, just across from Smith Road. "I pull up and was greeted by two Troopers, and started to go in and they both pulled over and said you can't go in, we got a helicopter zone here, it's an emergency landing," said Neely.
The helicopter was later called off. Neely was surprised to learn of the shooting, but not shocked it happened in such a remote setting. "We get this going on all around the Rochester area, Buffalo, everywhere, it's kind of a shame, but it's the way it is," he said.
Investigators do not believe this shooting was a random act. They aren't sure of the motive or even where precisely it happened. Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
