A brutal encounter on the streets of San Antonio has left a grandmother clinging to life in the hospital and her alleged attacker dead at the hands of law enforcement. Candace Byrnes, 51, suffered critical injuries after her 42-year-old roommate reportedly slammed his vehicle into her before fleeing the scene. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday in the 8600 block of Cheviot Heights, the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) confirmed. Byrnes was on life support at one point but is now breathing independently, showing the resilience that characterizes her spirit, according to her family.
In a developing story eerily playing out over the weekend, the suspect, whose name has not yet been released, was fatally shot by SAPD after returning to his home early Sunday morning and allegedly trying to again use his vehicle as a weapon against responding officers. "She didn’t really know him that well," Byrnes' daughter Ashley Ettner recounted in a statement obtained by KENS 5, detailing how her mother had "fallen on rough times" and met her roommate at the Salvation Army.
The violence that unfolded appears to have been spurred by jealousy, with Ettner suggesting to KENS 5 that her mother's attacker might have been "upset that another guy was coming to pick her up to take her to the store." While Byrnes has no recollection of the moment of impact, the aftermath has been chillingly clear: two broken bones in her pelvis, surgery, and two brain bleeds. Yet even as Byrnes recovers, Ettner says her mother's indomitable will shines through. "She is such a strong woman. For her to go through this and still be cracking jokes and be posing for photos, it’s amazing! She is inspiring," Ettner told KENS 5.
The confrontation with police that lead to the suspect's death commenced after neighbors alerted authorities to his presence. Police say the man backed his vehicle into two officers in an attempt to escape, prompting one of them, a four-year veteran of the force, to discharge their weapon, killing the suspect. Ettner expressed relief regarding the police's actions, stating, "I know the cops did what they had to do, and I am glad they took care of it because who is to say that he wouldn’t have done something when my mom got out [of the hospital]," as per her interview with KENS 5. Despite her own trauma, Ettner shared that her mother "has a huge heart and feels bad about the fact [he was shot]. But I am just thankful she is alive."
The SAPD continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding both the attack and the subsequent police shooting. The SAPD has yet to disclose further details on the suspect or the ongoing investigation.
