Ruben Ray Jurado Arrested: Police Arrest Suspect In Shooting That Left Soldier Paralyzed

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Police on Monday arrested a suspect in a shooting that critically wounded a soldier at his Southern California homecoming party after he survived a suicide bombing attack in Afghanistan.

Police said Ruben Ray Jurado turned himself in to authorities in Chino Hills, about 35 miles east of Los Angeles. The 19-year-old had been sought in the attempted murder of 22-year-old Christopher Sullivan.

Authorities allege Jurado shot Sullivan at the party Friday night after getting into an argument with the soldier's brother over football teams.

Jurado, who had played football with Sullivan in high school, punched Sullivan's brother and Sullivan intervened. Jurado then pulled a gun and fired multiple shots, hitting Sullivan in the neck, San Bernardino police Sgt. Gary Robertson said.

Sullivan's relatives said the Purple Heart recipient was hit twice by gunfire, which shattered his spine and left him paralyzed.

His mother, Suzanne Sullivan, told the Los Angeles Times that doctors believe her son will be paralyzed from the neck down.

"I don't have any emotions. My emotions are none," she said. "He didn't deserve it. He's an excellent son and an excellent man."

Jurado has been transferred to the custody of the San Bernardino Police Department where he will be booked, officials said Monday.

Police said Jurado had an attorney but officials couldn't immediately provide the lawyer's name. It wasn't immediately possible to locate a number for Jurado.

Sullivan was wounded in a suicide bombing attack last year in Kandahar province while serving with the 101st Infantry Division. He suffered a cracked collarbone and brain damage in the attack and had been recovering in Kentucky, where he is stationed.

He was home on leave when the shooting occurred.

The Times reported that Sullivan joined the military in 2009.

Fabian Salazar, a soldier who served with Sullivan in Afghanistan, said Sullivan rushed back to try to rescue other soldiers after the bomb blast propelled him several feet, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

"I know he would take a bullet for his brother," Salazar told the newspaper. "And if you asked him again after all this... if he would take a bullet for him again, he would say yes. That's the type of person he is."

Comments

[ASHTON CRUZ]

11:49 PM on 12/27/2011

No trial, no jail time. Just pack him up in a large dog crate and ship him over to Iraq for a year dressed up in drag.

[kissmylips13]

11:39 PM on 12/27/2011

Down right disgusting. The shooter should be SHOT and turned into ashes!

[RetiredVET6576]

08:40 PM on 12/27/2011

What was this 19 year old doing with a gun? I have heard of strong feelings about football and basketball teams but this goes to the ridiculous! 20 years minimum would not be enough.

[seanymph007]

03:40 PM on 12/27/2011

Prayers and healing thoughts going out to this soldier and his family.

I don;t know if he's illegal or not; but I cannnot help but wonder if we should our soldiers guarding and defending OUR OWN borders?

[RetiredVET6576]

08:42 PM on 12/27/2011

You evidently cannot read very well. You comment appears to be moronic. THis has nothing to do with soldiers on the border.

[Nosyhuman]

12:11 PM on 12/27/2011

Human nature that has gone on since the beginning of recorded history. Given the right situation, human animals can be very dangerous. It's up to those of us that sence the danger to nogitiate and tone it down.

The worst criminal in the world will smile back; if smiled at. Unless he or she is mentally I'll.

Many times we can witness individuals getting too heated in an argument; leave it alone because many invividuals cannot handle it and will get mental and go too far.

Better safe than sorry and I hope this young man make the best possible from his life until the end. The good thing; he lives.

[elia2010]

11:43 AM on 12/27/2011

clearly this new generation has no boundaries, they apparently believe there is no accountability for there actions because the laws have bended and broke around them. america needs to toughen down on crime even the smallest ones, maybe when they see there is a punishment that fits the crime they will think twice before doing it. or atleast listen to reason.

[elia2010]

11:34 AM on 12/27/2011

when is america gonna put it's foot down! theese thing are happening because our system is forged by people who do wrong themselves and are afraid that that is the punishment they may face but for the sake of america, up the punishments for crimes and maybe our children will stop killing our children.

[JohnHopwood2]

11:34 AM on 12/27/2011

It wasn't the gun it was the person who did it!>?

[Definer]

01:04 PM on 12/27/2011

Apparently you don't think the reduction of gun laws in the Geo. W. Bush administration and all the vile rhetoric from the NRA has anything to do with it right?

[Steven Muir]

01:21 PM on 12/27/2011

right.

[wolflover3825]

09:29 PM on 12/28/2011

I was wondering when someone was going to blame Bush for this. Now I have my answer. Another out of touch .........!

[retpo96]

01:24 PM on 12/27/2011

Just imagine if each of us had a gun.It would be like the old west! Persons were always the problem.....It is the easy access and concealment that equates to the event.Its much more practical to control the accessabilty of hand guns, but we can not control the ill will of the persons concealing and obtaining the gun.

[chinnha]

09:20 PM on 01/01/2012

At least if everyone had guns maybe this kid would think twice about pulling one out.

[retpo96]

12:05 AM on 01/02/2012

Back to square One..... more access to guns more shootings.Simple math... Gun + people's ill will equal shooting......People make poor judgements.They even shoot at Law enforcement who posses guns and have the authority to use deadly force. So if everyone had a gun chances are more people would use a gun against anyone armed or not.

[Norma Corlis]

11:30 AM on 12/27/2011

This kid was not invited to the party to began with so why was he there and with a gun??? PUNK

[bobparks77]

02:49 PM on 12/27/2011

It's a cultural thing.

[Jerry Bourbon]

11:24 AM on 12/27/2011

But, it is ILLEGAL to carry guns in California unless you are named "Feinstein", or have made a large donation to your local Sheriff's reelection campaign.

Didn't Jurado know that?

[TexasHomes2000]

01:54 PM on 12/27/2011

you are a liar

[Jerry Bourbon]

02:35 PM on 12/27/2011

You are an idiot if you think ordinary people can get CCW permits in California.

[Old Jarhead]

02:37 PM on 12/27/2011

And you are unfamiliar with the laws in CA. Educate yourself. There are many locations in CA that only those who contribute to the sheriffs re-election, with big bucks, or someone who is a celebrity can get a CHL.

[MayDog63]

11:16 AM on 12/27/2011

So damn Sad, My prayers for both families

[sayno45]

11:14 AM on 12/27/2011

"Mercy mercy me"

[KittenSoldier]

11:13 AM on 12/27/2011

Doesn't everyone go armed to a party? And what better reason is there to shoot and paralyze a hero than a dispute with the hero's brother over a high school football game from the past? It makes perfect sense in the culture of the intentionally stupid, murderously violent.

Sadly, this young soldier will never recover from this injury. His life is forever to be a bed and wheelchair, dependant on others for even the simplest of human needs - like food and water. Horrifying and preventable. The coward shooter should also be condemned to a life without the ability to move as should those from whom he obtained the gun.

[pisturi]

11:11 AM on 12/27/2011

Give this a hole the death penalty!!!! but the problem is this guy will get a looser defense attorney and a bleeding heart jury!!! makes me sick! To bad he did not kill himself wished he would have!!! or resisted arrest let the police finish this a hole

[hus4154]

11:07 AM on 12/27/2011

Another criminal illegal?