A fugitive's run from the cops ended in a hail of gunfire on the South Side of San Antonio after police officers shot a man who allegedly brandished a weapon during a high-stakes chase through traffic and into an open field. The 47-year-old suspect with an "extensive criminal record," identified by Police Chief William McManus, led officers on a foot chase after a failed attempt to safely apprehend him during a traffic stop, reports from KSAT stated.
The suspect was wanted in connection with a standoff following an aggravated assault incident days earlier, said McManus. Officers, tipped off about his whereabouts, attempted to make an arrest only to have to rapidly escalate their response when the man, seated at the back of a car, started to controversially wave a gun out of the window as the lights and sirens were activated. According to a KENS 5 report, McManus detailed, "Once the vehicle stopped, he got out of the vehicle and ran into an open field. Officers chased him in the open field. I have not seen the body camera yet, but reports are that he pointed the gun at officers who were in pursuit, and they wound up shooting him."
The chase, which culminated near Interstate 35 South and Somerset Road, involved six officers, five with less than five years of experience on the force. The confrontation led to multiple shots fired at the suspect, who was later hospitalized with undisclosed injuries. None of the officers sustained injuries during the incident. As part of the department's protocol, the involved officers have been placed on administrative duty, and the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office is set to review the case, as per KSAT.
This shooting incident marks the 24th involving San Antonio police in the current year, with a previous confrontation occurring just days earlier. McManus conveyed a stern message about the dangers officers face, telling KENS 5, "Police officers react to the situation that they're presented with by a suspect. So the message it should send is don't point a gun at a police officer." The three other passengers in the car with the suspect were also detained, although details of their involvement, if any, have yet to be thoroughly disclosed.
