Suspect in killing of elderly couple shot, killed by police for allegedly trying to grab cop’s gun 

The suspect in the killing of an elderly couple was shot and killed by a cop last night after he allegedly tried to grab the service firearm of one of his police escorts.

Suspect Carl Joseph Bañanola was shot dead inside a police car that was traveling en route to Camp Karingal in Quezon City, GMA News reported.

Bañanola boarded the car with four cops shortly after his inquest proceedings at the Quezon City Hall of Justice at around 6:40pm, reported The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

While inside the car, Bañanola allegedly asked the police to loosen his handcuffs. One cop named Sgt. Alex Icban agreed to do so, but Bañanola allegedly tried to grab the former’s gun which led to a scuffle, reported Manila Bulletin. 

This prompted Police Lt. Col. Rossel Cejas, another cop who was inside the police car, to shoot Bañanola. The suspect was brought to the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City where he was declared dead on arrival.

Prior to the incident, Bañanola was presented to National Capital Region Police Office Regional Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar during a press conference yesterday. Bañanola was arrested in Caloocan City on Tuesday in connection to the deaths of Nicolas Austria, 86, a retired engineer and his wife Leonora Austria, 87.

The Austrias were found dead with multiple stab wounds at their home in TS Cruz Subdivision in the village of San Agustin in Novaliches, Quezon City on Sunday. Aside from the couple, their employee domestic worker Editha Fernandez was also injured but survived the attack.

Bañanola was identified as the suspect behind their killings because one of his former co-workers told the police that the shirt and pants that were found in the crime scene were allegedly the same pieces of clothing that the suspect wore before the stabbing took place. Fernandez also said that it was Bañanola who attacked her and the Austrias.

The suspect used to deliver eggs to the couple; the police believe that he was high on illegal drugs when he allegedly committed the crime.

Many have died in the hands of the police for allegedly fighting back against officers. One recent example is the case of two alleged muggers who were killed in a police shootout in Ermita, Manila on Tuesday. The suspects fled the area where they robbed two victims while aboard a motorcycle but police managed to catch up to them. They then allegedly shot at the cops, prompting the latter to shoot back and kill them.