Robert Rendon gets life sentence for shooting at SA cops

Rendon awaits trial for shooting Fredericksburg police officer

SAN ANTONIO – It took a jury less than two hours on Thursday to sentence Robert Rendon, 31, to life in prison on charges of aggravated assault of a peace officer.

Rendon led San Antonio police on a high-speed chase across the city on the night of April 19, 2014.

“Robert Rendon took this SKS assault rifle in a pursuit down (Highway) 281 into downtown San Antonio and tried to kill these police officers,” prosecutor Josh Somers told the jury as he held up the assault rifle during closing arguments.

“Robert Rendon is violent, dangerous and he is ready and willing to kill anybody who gets in his way,” he said.

Rendon was on the run after shooting and wounding Fredericksburg police Officer Bradley Durst during a traffic stop in Fredericksburg earlier that night.

During her closing arguments, his lawyer asked for mercy for Rendon.

“I’m not making excuses for his behavior," Monica Guerrero said. “I’m just asking for mercy in this case because he has come from a home that didn’t have parents that cared for him.”

Rendon’s mother testified that he had been moved from home to home with several relatives during his childhood and that he suffered from depression.

Rendon is awaiting trial in Gillespie County on attempted capital murder charges for the shooting of Durst. That trial is set for next month.


About the Author:

Paul Venema is a courthouse reporter for KSAT with more than 25 years experience in the role.