Arrest made in shooting near church

CLOVIS - Clovis police have made an arrest in the Monday afternoon shooting at a church parking lot on Main Street.

Christopher Rodriguez, 36, who was earlier identified as a “person of interest” in the case, was arrested Wednesday at Motel 7 on Mabry Drive.

Rodriguez was arrested on charges of robbery, aggravated battery, shooting an occupied dwelling, and shooting at or from a motor vehicle. He is also being held on an unrelated district court warrant for failure to appear.

Monday at around 1 p.m., Clovis police were dispatched to 1601 Sutter Place in Clovis for a male with a gunshot wound to the leg.

According to a news release from Clovis police captain Robbie Telles, on arrival officers located Terence Abeyta, 21, with a gunshot wound to his upper right thigh. Clovis fire and emergency medical personnel came to the scene and took Abeyta to Plains Regional Medical Center.

Abeyta was released later Monday after being treated for his gunshot wound.

During the investigation Rodriguez was identified as being the shooter. However, he was never located at the time of the incident. An investigation into Abeyta’s wounding revealed the incident started just east of Sutter Place in the parking lot of First Christian Church at the corner of Main and Purdue streets.

Church building and grounds supervisor Doug McGregor said the church’s security system captured the events.

McGregor said two cars pulled into the church parking lot. A man with a backpack jumped out of one car and ran west on Purdue Street alongside the church building. A man came out of the second vehicle with a pistol and shot toward the man with the backpack.

McGregor pointed out a bullet hole in the siding of the church at its northeast corner.

As summer classes were in session at nearby Marshall Middle School, “secure and teach” mode was declared there and at Clovis High School and the Student Support Center.