SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio’s police chief is hoping a recent string of gun violence in the city doesn’t become a trend.
Ten people were shot within two days last weekend. Four of them died.
Despite the spike in violence, Police Chief William McManus said he is sure “100%, the city is safe.”
“Most of the violent crime in this city, and every city, is due to risky behavior,” McManus told KSAT 12 News earlier this week.
That “risky behavior,” McManus said, includes heated situations that often end with gun violence.
“Individuals arguing with each other for one reason or another, and they wind up being someone pulled a gun,” he said.
After attending a meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, McManus took a few minutes to address the recent spike in trouble. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones also spoke briefly about it during a KSAT Q&A segment that same evening.
“I think this weekend is unfortunate,” the mayor said. “We’ve got to do everything possible for people to feel safe, are safe, and we’re investing in preventive measures.”
Watch that Q&A below:
Both commented the day after the San Antonio Police Department’s public information office issued a written statement echoing the safe city sentiment.
The statement also highlighted a drop in homicides. However, figures show the numbers so far are closer to being on par with those from last year.
There have been 83 homicides in San Antonio so far this year, compared to 86 at the same time last year.
The total number of homicides for all of 2024 was 127.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has investigated 11 homicides this year, compared to 14 last year.
Still, in the wake of the shootings last weekend, not everyone feels the city is safe.
Diana Blanquez lives on Shady Grove Drive, the West Side street where two people were shot and wounded last weekend. She said she vaguely remembers hearing gunshots at that time but dismissed them in her mind.
“Not like it used to be, no,” Blanquez said. “You hear gunshots and stuff all the time, so it’s pretty much like you get used to it.”
Tom Berry, meanwhile, lives downtown and has a different perspective.
“I live in a pretty safe part of the city. I think there are segments of the city that are better than others,” Berry said.
McManus says the best way to stay safe from gun violence is to steer clear of conflict, if possible.
“Avoid getting into altercations with people,” McManus said, “because as I said, it turns out where somebody’s going to pull a gun.”
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