Chaos erupted on the northwest side of San Antonio Tuesday night when a man accused of murdering his wife was shot and killed by the police after he fired upon them, authorities said. According to KENS 5, San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus reported the shooting occurred outside a strip mall in the 1800 block of Vance Jackson near Interstate 10 where officers were attempting to arrest the unnamed 32-year-old man, the shootout ensued when he opened fire as they tried to take him into custody, "The officers handled this situation exactly as they were trained. They did a good job protecting themselves (while) attempting to apprehend this individual for murdering his wife.” McManus asserted.
Earlier that day, police had discovered the body of the suspect's 33-year-old wife after conducting a welfare check at their residence in the 8600 block of Southwest Loop 410; she had been shot to death, this tragedy, followed by the fatal shootout marks the 10th incident this year involving SAPD officers in gunfire situations, the SAPD said the husband managed to flee the scene in his wife's car, which was fitted with an OnStar system enabling the police to track his movements until the deadly confrontation outside the sandwich shop.
The four responding SAPD officers, who were involved in the shootout and have between three and six years of service, are expected to be placed on administrative duty during the ongoing investigation, as per department protocol. A patrol car with shattered windows and another vehicle with bullet holes were among the aftermath observed by a KENS 5 crew at the crime scene, illustrating the intensity of the gun battle that transpired.
In a separate account from KSAT, McManus said that the situation escalated rapidly when the officers moved to apprehend the suspect as he entered his vehicle outside a sandwich shop, "When officers approached the man in the vehicle, he immediately opened fire, causing the officers to fire back," a confrontation that led to the officers firing back and the suspect's subsequent death at the scene. The SAPD has yet to release the identity of the deceased as the investigation continues, updates will follow as more information becomes available, said an SAPD spokesperson.
