Man rejected for job with SAPD sends fake bomb to chief, police say

Affidavit: Package from Ricardo Gil, 48, contained shoes, batteries

SAN ANTONIO – A Northwest Side man who it appears was rejected for a job with the San Antonio Police Department is accused of sending a fake bomb to the police chief.

Ricardo Gil, 48, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of manufacturing a hoax bomb.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, a sergeant opened a package Jan. 4 which was addressed to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.

RELATED: Woman says she was beaten, held captive by Stone Oak man

RELATED: 7-Eleven robbery suspect arrested after cashing in stolen lottery tickets at 2 convenience stores

Inside, he found a pair of shoes with a cluster of batteries, wrapped in aluminum foil, beneath their insoles.

The affidavit said the package also contained a printed email in which Gil said that he had applied for a position as an administrative assistant and had met all the minimum requirements. It said at the bottom of the email, he wrote a note inviting the chief to put on the shoes.

After seeing the contents, the sergeant who opened the package called for the bomb squad.

They then determined that the package contained a hoax bomb. No one was hurt.


About the Authors:

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.

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.