Home / Crime and Justice / Officers Plead With Gunman Before Fatal Shooting
Officers Plead With Gunman Before Fatal Shooting
3 Sep
Summary
- Police repeatedly ordered armed man not to reach for his gun.
- Body-camera footage shows officers warning the man multiple times.
- The man died at the scene after officers fired their weapons.
On August 1st, shortly after 7:30 p.m., San Antonio police officers responded to a report of a 69-year-old man, Raul Garza, armed with a gun outside his residence. Body-camera footage released by the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) shows officers encountering Garza, who had a gun in a holster.
Officers repeatedly instructed Garza to place his hands on his head and turn around. Despite attempts by one officer to de-escalate the situation by offering to put his own weapon away and asking Garza to relax, Garza questioned the officers' presence and accused them of trespassing. Officers issued stern warnings as Garza moved his hand toward the gun in his holster.
As the encounter escalated, officers yelled at Garza to stop reaching for his weapon. When Garza reached for the gun again, five SAPD officers discharged their duty weapons, resulting in Garza's death at the scene. No officers or bystanders were injured in the incident. Investigations into the shooting are being conducted by SAPD's Shooting Team and Internal Affairs Unit, as well as the Bexar County District Attorney's Office.
