A man accused of shooting a School District of Philadelphia safety officer near Penn’s Landing late last month has been arrested in North Jersey, police said.
Ariza Giansteban, 28, was taken into custody in Paramus, Bergen County, on Saturday and is awaiting extradition to Philadelphia, police said Monday. He allegedly shot a 68-year-old school safety officer in the face, arm and body on June 29 following a road rage incident on the 300 block of North Christopher Columbus Boulevard.
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Giansteban will be charged with attempted murder and related charges, the Inquirer reported. The injured officer, whose name has not been released, remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Last week, police released surveillance footage that shows a white 2017-2019 Kia Sportage, allegedly driven by Giansteban, appearing to strike the back of a rideshare vehicle. After the rideshare driver tried to get Giansteban’s attention, Giansteban allegedly got out of the Kia and fired multiple shots toward the rideshare vehicle around 1:47 a.m..
Four stray bullets hit the safety officer, who was driving in marked patrol car in the lane beside the rideshare driver, police said. The safety officer crashed his car into a tree after being shot. He was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for treatment.
Investigators were able to identify Giansteban’s vehicle, which was missing its front license plate and had a possible sticker on the back window, police said. The Kia had last been seen in Philadelphia at Girard Avenue and Fifth Street minutes after the shooting took place.
The school safety officer had been on duty at Kensington High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, which was operating as a shelter for people displaced in an apartment building fire. He has worked in district security for nearly two decades and is a retired Philadelphia police officer.