A late-night stay at a Northeast Side motel turned into a crime scene Tuesday when a man, shot outside the property, stumbled into the lobby and collapsed before being rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Witnesses said the gunfire erupted in the parking lot of the Hallmark Inn & Suites on the Interstate 35 frontage road near Rittiman Road, and the shooter took off before officers could get there. Police have opened an investigation into the incident.
According to WOAI, the shooting happened around 11:00 p.m. Officers said the victim was hit while in the motel parking lot, then managed to run inside before collapsing. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police did not immediately say whether any arrests had been made.
Witnesses Say Shooter Took Off In Dark SUV
Guests and nearby witnesses told reporters they saw the gunman jump into a dark-colored SUV and speed away from the motel. Several described a chaotic scene as patrol cars, crime scene units, and medics crowded the parking lot and neighbors came out to watch from a distance. Authorities did not release the man’s name, only confirming that he remained in critical care.
Officers Lock Down Motel Parking Lot
Per WOAI, officers quickly taped off the area while investigators worked the parking lot for evidence and spoke with witnesses. Station photos showed crime scene tape wrapped around the motel grounds and a heavy law-enforcement presence lingering into the early morning hours. San Antonio police did not immediately provide a suspect description or possible motive.
Violence Adds To A Troubling Motel Track Record
The stretch of I-35 near Rittiman has already built a reputation for trouble. As reported by KSAT, Crime Stoppers previously asked for help finding a suspect in a 2022 robbery of a woman at a Hallmark Inn & Suites in the same area, and KSAT covered a separate fatal shooting at a nearby hotel in April 2025. Those incidents have left some residents and travelers wary of pulling off at the Rittiman exit.
Police said the investigation into Tuesday’s shooting is ongoing and that more information will be released as it becomes available. Anyone with details is urged to contact San Antonio police; the department’s public information office had no additional comment as of early Wednesday.
