Marine Is Fatally Shot by Police

A 19-year-old Marine from Modesto, who was scheduled for a second tour of duty in Iraq, shot two police officers -- one fatally -- before being gunned down hours later as he rushed at police, authorities said Monday.

Andres Raya had told his family that after a seven-month stint in Iraq he didn’t want to go back, authorities said.

“There are many possibilities in this case,” said Jason Woodman, spokesman for the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.

“We haven’t narrowed it down to one motive,” Woodman added. “But he did mention to his family members that he did not want to return to Iraq.”

Raya was on leave, visiting his family in Modesto.

He returned to Camp Pendleton on Saturday, but told a friend he was leaving the barracks to get something to eat and didn’t return, Woodman said.

About 8 p.m. Sunday, Raya appeared in the parking lot of a liquor store in Ceres, a city next to Modesto, and fired a shot from an assault rifle, Woodman said.

Then Raya went into the store and asked that police be called, Woodman said.

Ceres Police Officer Sam Ryno, who arrived first, was shot several times in the lower body and was critically wounded, authorities said.

Sgt. Howard Stevenson was shot in the torso and died at the scene, authorities said.

Raya ran to a nearby neighborhood, which authorities surrounded, drawing the Marine out from behind a home three hours later, Woodman said.

Raya charged officers, reaching into his clothes as if for a gun when he was fatally shot by officers, Woodman said.

Stevenson was the first Ceres police officer killed in the line of duty.

“This is a big shock to the community,” Woodman said.