Father, son escape injury in carjacking

By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A man and his son faced a life-threatening situation Monday when two men attacked them in the parking lot of a convenience store.

Ronnie Soliz stopped at a convenience store at Reno Ave. and Villa Ave. to buy a drink, leaving his son in the vehicle. After entering the store, two men approached Soliz's son, throwing him out of the truck.

When Soliz tried to get in on the passenger side of the vehicle, one of the men put a gun to his face and pulled the trigger.

Sgt. Paco Balderrama said he thought the attack was planned by the men after noticing from the security footage that one of the men tried to shield his face.

"It's a very dangerous situation," Balderrama said. "Two suspects going up to this victim, pulling the young child out, discharging a weapon so close to a child. This could have resulted in a deadly encounter."

Alwyn Lea coordinates the neighborhood watch program in the area. The City Care's Pershing Center, a program for the homeless trying to reestablish their lives, started the program five years ago.

"We're trying to help take back our neighborhood and we've done real well," Lea said. "Crime is reduced by 30 to 50 percent."

Despite the program's crime-fighting efforts, Soliz's crime could not have been prevented. Soliz and his son were not injured during the attack.

"He was about three inches away from being shot in the head," Lea said. "Obviously, somebody was looking out for that gentleman and his son."

Soliz's truck was recovered Wednesday morning. Police said the wheels and tires were missing and the suspects attempted to set the truck on fire.

The men have not been found and police have asked anybody with information to call Crime Stoppers at 235-7300.