San Ramon police locate and arrest Florida murder suspect with help from citizen

Police are no longer asking some San Ramon residents to shelter-in-place and have arrested a suspect in a Florida murder who eluded them earlier Tuesday.

John Sanchez, 22, "fled from police in the area of Bollinger Canyon Road between Briar Oaks & N. Monarch Drive," the San Ramon police tweeted Tuesday. 

But thanks to what police called an "alert community member" who reported a sighting, Sanchez was taken into custody and detained without incident, police said. 

San Ramon police were searching for John Sanchez, a suspect in a Florida murder, on Aug. 17, 2021. Credit: San Ramon police

Police gave the update just before 8 p.m. after alerting the public that Sanchez "was last seen wearing a red shirt." 

The shelter-in-place order led authorities to delay the dismissal of students from nearby Gayle Ranch Middle School.

Authorities planned to fly a drone to help locate Sanchez, police said. Officers remained in the area following the shelter-in-place to ensure the safety of the community, they said.