Published September 24, 2026 at 5:06 PM CDT

The man accused of taking a Dallas ISD officer’s firearm and shooting the officer has been indicted for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, according to federal court records.

The 27-year-old Mexican citizen, Jose Santiago Pantoja-Morales, faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison if found guilty.

“An officer who was simply doing his job was violently attacked and shot,” read a statement from Brian Garner, ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge. “This case underscores the danger law enforcement officers face every day and the consequences when a firearm is placed in the hands of someone who is prohibited from possessing one.”

Attorney information for Pantoja-Morales was not immediately available.

The injured DISD officer, Justin Jones, was performing a routine patrol along Interstate-635, when he was flagged down by Pantoja-Morales’ coworker, according to an Aug. 13 complaint. Pantoja-Morales jumped out of the coworker’s car and into a median in the center of the highway, the complaint says.

Prosecutors say Jones gave Pantoja-Morales a ride to a safe location. While en route, Pantoja-Morales allegedly began looking through Jones’s belongings inside a bag in the backseat. Jones stopped to remove Pantoja-Morales from the vehicle, leading to a physical struggle between the two, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

During the physical struggle, Pantoja Morales allegedly grabbed the officer’s firearm, and shot once at him, striking him in the leg before fleeing the scene, court records say. Another Dallas ISD officer was able to provide medical treatment before he was transported and treated at Parkland Hospital.

“Every day, we ask the men and women who wear the badge to stand between good and evil,” Ryan Rebold, U.S attorney for the North District of Texas, said. “Violence against an officer will not be tolerated, and we will pursue this prosecution with the utmost rigor to ensure full accountability.”