San Antonio police officers shot and killed a man who they said assaulted his girlfriend and then barricaded himself inside his South Side home for several hours.

The standoff started around 1:30 a.m. Monday, when police said the man, who family members identified as Jimmy Garza Jr., beat up his girlfriend and then crashed his SUV while he was leaving his house in the 900 block of Drury Lane, police said.

The woman then called for help and was taken to University Hospital.

Garza, who family members said was a Bexar County probation officer, abandoned his wrecked car and ran back to his house, police said.

When Garza refused to leave his home, SWAT officers were called in. Police said Garza initially refused to talk to negotiators and repeatedly hung up on them.

Just after 6 a.m., the standoff ended when Garza walked out his front door and rushed at officers with a raised rifle. SWAT officers then opened fire, fatally wounding the suspect.

"The last thing we want to do is take someone's life and use deadly force. Unfortunately, this man gave them very little choice," San Antonio police Chief Bill McManus said.

Police said Garza crashed the vehicle in an effort to cover up the woman's assault injuries.

"A plan was hatched that they would crash the car. That's where the injuries came from. Once the car was crashed, she ran. He went back to the house. She called the police and that's how we wound up getting here," McManus said.

The woman wasn't immediately identified.

Images: Fatal SWAT standoff

Published On: Mar 04 2013 11:44:23 AM CST

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A man who police say assaulted his girlfriend before barricading himself inside a South Side home is shot and killed by SWAT officers.

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