Caldwell man accused of shooting another man arrested in Meridian, police say
After a week-long search, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a Caldwell man who is accused of shooting another man.
The Meridian Police Department located and apprehended 34-year-old Gabriel Francisco Meza at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office. Meza was inside a vehicle in a business’s parking lot near the intersection of Meridian Road and East Central Drive in Meridian. He was arrested without incident, the release said.
“I want to thank all of our law enforcement partners throughout the Treasure Valley who assisted us over the past week as we worked around the clock to bring this dangerous fugitive into custody,” Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue said in the release. “We hope it sends the message that we will stop at nothing to bring violent criminals to justice.”
Law enforcement began looking for Meza after the Canyon County sheriff’s office alleged that he shot a 44-year-old man several times early March 27 in a residential area southeast of Caldwell. Deputies said the man had “multiple gunshot wounds” and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to prior Idaho Statesman reporting. Police said the men knew each other.
Roughly 24 hours later, a felony warrant for aggravated battery was issued for Meza, with a $1 million bond attached.
Meza was also arrested on suspicion of two misdemeanors, use or possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent to use, and providing false information to an officer, online jail records showed.
The Sheriff’s Office said Meza could face additional charges. He was scheduled to appear at the Ada County Courthouse at 1:30 p.m.Thursday for his initial hearing before being transferred to the Canyon County Jail.
Typically, the judge won’t modify a bail amount set by another county, so Meza likely will remain on the $1 million bond until he appears in court in Canyon County, where a judge could reduce it.
