Shocking Video: Two Men Shoot Officer at Point-Blank Range

March 22, 2006, started like any ordinary shift for State Trooper Steven Stone. The Tyler, Texas, officer never expected the night would end with a routine traffic stop nearly ending his life.

Traffic Stop on Highway 31E

About 9 p.m. Stone patrolled the Highway 31E area when he noticed a speeding pickup truck. Stone initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, noting to dispatch how the vehicle "didn't want to stop."

The truck eventually pulled over to the side of the road. Stone asked the driver, Ramon Armando Ramos, to exit the truck and stand behind his state-issued public safety vehicle. Trooper Stone asked Ramos for identification and if he had any weapons on his person. He said that he did not have any weapons and provided Stone with his identification. Ramos then informed the officer that he was on painkillers.

His passenger, Francisco Saucedo, alerted Trooper Stone that he carried a pocketknife. Trooper Stone walked to the side of the vehicle to retrieve the pocketknife.

A baggie fell out of Ramos' pocket as Trooper Stone searched him. Ramos admitted the baggie contained weed and confirmed he had more drugs on his person. Stone ordered Ramos to remove his jacket and lay it on his vehicle because he was under arrest.

Gun Fire Erupts

As Officer Stone attempted to place handcuffs on Ramps, Saucedo exited the truck. Stone turned his head slightly and yelled at the passenger to get back inside the vehicle. Trooper Stone pulled his gun from his holster but did not have time to react before gunfire erupted. 

Ramos quickly grabbed a gun from his waistband and opened fire on the officer. Noticing his friend firing shots at the officer, Saucedo grabbed a gun from his waistband and joined in.

Trooper Stone fell into a ditch after bullets struck him in the chest. Everything went black, the trooper said, until he looked up again and saw Ramos and Saucedo firing bullets at him. The men emptied their clips and then took off in the pickup truck.

A Call For Help

Stone, who had not alerted dispatch of his location, went to his car and radioed for help.

One bullet entered Stone's chest and came out of his collarbone. A second bullet hit his bulletproof vest. A third bullet struck his shoulder blade and exited the top of his shoulder, injuring his scapula and shattering his collarbone. Another bullet struck Stone in the neck.

Backup officers arrived in less than two minutes. Stone was transported to a local hospital and survived his injuries. Tyler police officers caught up to the blue pickup truck Ramos and Saucedo traveled in. The men led officers on a high-speed chase until crashing their vehicle on Highway 64 East.

Men Arrested, Sentenced to Prison

Authorities found a cash of weapons inside the truck, a silencer, four magazines, cartridges, spent shell casing, and ammunition. Both men wore body armor. Officers took both men into custody.

Ramos and Saucedo were both illegal immigrants from Mexico. Both men were charged with attempted murder and 13 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against a public servant. They were both sentenced to 14 life sentences and became eligible for parole after serving 60 years of their sentences.

Watch the shocking video of the incident in the following YouTube video:

This video is pretty shocking!

Thanks for reading! Leave your thoughts in the comment section below. If you are a true crime fan, check out other stories by True Crime Writer on our main page. You will find lesser-known true crime stories and strange and unusual stories on the page. Happy reading.