SAN ANTONIO – A sheriff’s deputy who fired a shot at a man in Northeast Bexar County thought the man had pointed a gun at him, according to a sheriff’s spokesman.
The deputy was one of several who had been chasing the man shortly before 3 a.m. Friday.
James Keith, a spokesman for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, said deputies tried to initiate a stop near Winsford and Montgomery Drive after seeing the man driving erratically in the nearby Camelot II neighborhood.
"(The deputy) turned on his lights, attempted to stop the vehicle,” Keith said. “At that time, another deputy was coming up the road. The driver then sped off."
During his escape, Keith said, the driver rammed that other deputy’s patrol car, as well as several other vehicles parked on the street.
He finally came to a stop after crashing through a fence on the property of Montgomery Elementary School.
"The deputy saw the driver get out of the vehicle. It appeared he had something in his hand that the deputy thought was a gun. A shot was fired," Keith said.
Keith said no one was hit by the gun fire, and investigators did not find a gun on the man.
"However, in one of those situations, the deputy has the right whenever they feel like their life is in danger, to make that call (to shoot)," he said.
"He attempted to hit a deputy's vehicle and then did make contact with the vehicle. He obviously showed that he had no regard for these deputies or their lives," Keith said.
Deputies eventually took the man into custody after a short foot chase.
Keith said the man admitted to them that he was under the influence of drugs, and they did find drugs on him.
Charges for the man were still pending as of Friday morning.