BCSO mentions recent crime spike after latest shooting in NE Bexar County

Sheriff says shooting may have been random

BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Bullets flew though a Northeast Bexar County neighborhood, striking at least one house in what officials say may have been a random shooting.

This shooting on Beech Trail Drive in the Ventura subdivision just before sundown Thursday is shining a spotlight on what Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said is a recent spike in crime in the area.

“I think we found between five to 10 shell casings. It looks like they may have been firing wildly in the neighborhood,” Salazar said, adding that a gold, imported vehicle and a dark-colored minivan may have been involved in the shooting.

Salazar said the front door of a home was struck, but no one was shot. Residents in the area were not reassured.

The Bexar County Sheriff's Office admitted crime does seem to be on the rise in the district.

“There's just so much violence that spiked just over the past year, I’m honestly not surprised by it whatsoever,” said William Hernandez, who has lived on Beech Trail Drive for all of his 19 years.

Without revealing his identity, a Beech Trail resident of 24 years expressed deep concern.

“I put up four security cameras. I make sure I keep my gates locked. Frequently, we hear shots around here, so it's not uncommon. I think it's just a lot of young kids got into drugs, gone down the wrong path,” the resident said.

On Friday, BCSO provided data that showed more than 70 reports of violent crime in the district since the beginning of the year. Salazar vowed to do something about it.

“We will be allocating some resources from the Sheriff’s Office to this area,” Salazar said.

As far as Thursday night’s shooting, Salazar said deputies believe the gold vehicle may have been chasing the dark-colored minivan. If you have information on either of those two vehicles, you're asked to call the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office at 210-335-6070.

Even though Salazar said there has been a recent spike in crime, according to BCSO, the bigger picture shows crime in the district is down 9.58 percent when compared to the same time last year, and it's down more than 35 percent in the Ventura subdivision compared to this time last year.


About the Authors:

William Caldera has been at KSAT since 2003. He covers a wide range of stories including breaking news, weather, general assignments and sports.