20-year-old /*Andrew Barrientos*/ was captured over the weekend near the Mexican border. He is accused of shooting 39-year-old Officer Todd Young in Oakland.
Young remained at Highland Hospital Monday evening but police said his condition seemed to be improving. While he still remains in intensive care, he has been opening his eyes and moving his legs.
This comes after he was shot twice Friday in the pelvic area. Oakland police said Monday that the man accused of shooting him has confessed to the crime and two others are in custory for harboring him while he was on the run.
Police say 40-year-old Antoinette Apodaca helped Barrientos escape after he shot Young. She is a Union City resident, a mother, and a professional who works at Kaiser.
"She left and they put her in a car and took her away in handcuffs," her stepfather says.
That happened Saturday, when police swarmed Union City's Decoto neighborhood searching for Barrientos. Police say Barrientos was a documented Decoto Norteno gang member. Apodaca's family does not believe her involvement, but others who know her say her son is good friends with Barrientos.
"Everyone's life is private. She's a good person," her stepfather says.
Barrientos was arrested Saturday just yards away from the Mexico border, spotted by a San Diego police officer. Police say accomplices gave him shelter and cars along the way.
"Our investigators did fly back to San Diego to interview Barrientos. He did give admissions to the crime and we are still in the process of having him transported up to Alameda County to face charges," says Officer Jeff Thomason with the Oakland Police Department.
Barrientos' mother did not want to talk to ABC7. Another family member said the 20-year-old fired in self-defense, but court records show a path that seemed to lead to this ending. Last year, Barrientos pleaded no contest to resisting a Union City gang task force officer. He spent two days in jail and received probation.
In early April, he was accused of evading Union City police and a $75,000 felony warrant was issued for his arrest. Less than two weeks later, he was in trouble again. Police say he assaulted the mother of his child. San Leandro police issued a flier in their search for Barrientos whose nickname is "Doughboy."
They said he pulled a gun on the mother of his child while she was driving and threatened to kill her. The baby was in the backseat. He tried to take the car with the child, but eventually ran away.
"This is a very dangerous person and it shows you his mindset," Thomason says. "As officers went to contact him, he decided to shoot it out instead of come peacefully."
Fremont police officer improving after being shot
Optimistic word came in Monday as blood donations flowed in around the Bay Area to support Officer /*Todd Young*/.
The news is encouraging for Young -- a Fremont police department spokesman says doctors Monday morning reduced the sedation that has kept him unconscious since the shooting in Oakland on Friday.
Not only did he open his eyes, he continues to move his legs -- indicating he is not paralyzed. Tentative plans are being made for his rehabilitation -- something no one even thought of on Friday as his life hung in the balance.
Sources tell ABC7 News that the suspect in the shooting, 20-year-old Andrew Barrientos, captured with an accomplice near the Mexico border on Saturday, won't be brought back to Oakland today.
The Oakland police say Barrientos has confessed to the shooting, where Officer Young tried to arrest Barrientos on a charge of domestic violence and attempted kidnapping. At the Red Cross blood bank on Claremont in Oakland -- many people are turning out to donate blood for the officer who was shot in their city.
"Because he needs it, he was out there helping us. So if he needs it I'm here," said San Leandro resident Marsha Felton.
Jim Perero was also there, dedicating his blood for Officer Young.
"Just yesterday I saw that they were calling for blood for Officer Young and I thought that was a perfect coincidence and opportunity for me to help him out," said El Cerrito resident Jim Perero.
Blood bank officials are hoping to prevent the blood centers from being overwhelmed.
"The best way to go about that would be to call 1-800 GIVE LIFE and you can also go online we have a website called beadonor.com. That would help us schedule and manage the flow," said Michael Gregory of the American Red Cross.
Sunday in Pleasant Hill, the normal daily donation of 30 units doubled to 60, and 60 is the number of units Officer Young needed for his surgery on Friday. He has had another surgery since and several more are expected.
People can help by donating blood for Young with the American Red Cross. Appointments can be scheduled at any of the below American Red Cross locations by calling 1-800-448-3543 or 1-800-733-2767, or by going to www.redcrossbayarea.org.
There are five American Red Cross Agencies in the Bay Area that are accepting donations:
Pleasant Hill
140 Gregory Lane Ste 120
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Oakland
6230 Claremont Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
Pleasanton
5556 N Springdale Avenue
Pleasanton, CA 94588
San Jose
2731 North 1st Street
San Jose, CA
Fremont
39227 Cedar Blvd
Fremont, CA 94560
