Suspect treated at hospital after tear gas used to end standoff

Man accused of firing shots at repo crew, engaging in standoff

SAN ANTONIO – A man who was arrested after an all-night standoff in Southeast Bexar County that began when he allegedly shot at a crew repossessing his vehicle was taken to a hospital for treatment, authorities said.

A news release from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office did not specify what prompted the hospital visit.

The suspect ran from his home after SWAT officers fired tear gas into it early Thursday morning, attempting to force him and others into leaving.

Deputy Marin Mata, a public information officer for BCSO, said the original call to the dispatchers after 6 p.m. Wednesday was for shots fired.

RELATED: Standoff ends after deputies fire tear gas into SE Bexar County home

He said when deputies arrived in the 15600 block of Stuart Road, they found out the armed man had barricaded himself inside a home that contained four other people.

Mata said that they also learned that the suspect had become angry after noticing a crew outside his home, repossessing his vehicle.

“The homeowner came out. It was alleged that he shot a couple of rounds,” Mata said. “It's unknown if  it was in the direction of the repo company or up in the air.”

No one was injured by the gunfire. However, for hours, the man refused to come out of his home.

Members of the BCSO SWAT team and crisis negotiators tried to talk to him by phone several times during the night, Mata said. They could not convince him to comply.

Finally, around 4 a.m., SWAT officers fired tear gas into the home, forcing everyone inside to exit.

“They were still staying around the front porch, trying to air out from the tear gas,” he said. “Our Bexar County SWAT team made the initial move to approach them."

READ MORE: Man barricaded in Southeast Bexar County home with 2 others

Five people, including three teenagers, were taken into custody. Only the original suspect was arrested at the scene.

According to the BCSO news release, investigators also are considering filing charges against the man’s wife.

At least one neighbor was kept from his home during the entire standoff.

The unidentified man told KSAT 12 News that he had gone out briefly for a bite to eat Wednesday evening. He said that when he returned, deputies would not allow him to go home due to the standoff.

More than 12 hours later -- and several hours after the standoff ended -- he remained at the scene, waiting in his car.

The neighbor said deputies told him that they would not allow anyone into the area until they completed their investigation.

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About the Author:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.