In the morning of March 16th, 2024, a juvenile woman with the initials A.O. was driving with her then boyfriend, Ray Castro, in the passenger seat wearing a hoodie and a mask.
The two were in a red Saturn driving in South Beloit when they drove past South Beloit Detective Paul Reed.
Reed knew A.O. and knew her to be dating Ray who he believed to have warrants out for his arrest. He called for back up broadcasting to officers he believed Ray to be in car.
He initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle, called for back up, and approached the Saturn. Reed asked for both of the occupants identification. A.O. gave her license but Ray he didn’t have an ID and said his name was Jose Sanchez. Ray gave his birthday as more officers were pulling up.
Now on scene was South Beloit Sergeant Newell and Officer Ramirez. The trio went back to Saturn and asked Ray to get out.
Eventually, Ray got out and officers pulled off his hood and mask. They identified him as Ray and turned him around to place him in cuffs.
Ray allegedly struggled with officers and attempted to get back into the Saturn. Reed held on to Ray as he got back into the car asking for the driver to take off.
A.O. stepped on the gas for a short distance causing the other officers to be knocked back while Reed remained inside the vehicle with Ray on top of him. Reed was able to turn the Saturn off but Ray turned it back on and had A.O. drive off again.
With Ray still on top of him and the car in motion, Reed was able to get ahold of his gun, pointed it at A.O.’s right leg and shot her one time. The Saturn drove across the median to end up in a ditch on the opposite side of the road.
Reed attempted to hold onto Ray but was unsuccessful. By this time Ramirez caught up and attempted to gain control of Ray but he too was unsuccessful. Both the officers attempted to tase Ray as he ran away but still he continued running.
Reed got tangled up in the taser wires causing him to stop pursuing Ray while Ramirez attended to A.O.’s gunshot wound.
Later on Ray allegedly stole a vehicle that was immediately reported. Roscoe police officers got involved in a high speed pursuit going through Beloit.
The pursuit ended when Roscoe police officer Ryan Sarver executed a pit maneuver causing Ray to lose control of the stolen SUV. Sarver crashed into the vehicle again as it was swerving.
Ray never regained control of the SUV and crashed into another Roscoe squad car being driven by Sergeant Robert Lewis who shot his full clip through his window and the front windshield of the SUV killing Ray Castro.
This was the 37th case investigated and justified by the Winnebago Boone County Integrity Task Force.