'Career criminal' shot, killed by SAPD officer after high-speed chase, crash

Incident is 6th fatal shooting involving SAPD officer in 2019

GUADALUPE COUNTY, Texas – A man described by police as a career criminal was shot and killed following a high-speed vehicle chase late Thursday night, San Antonio police Chief William McManus said.

According to McManus, the man led the San Antonio Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office on a chase exceeding 100 mph in a car he carjacked.

"The Street Crime Unit of our Violent Taskforce was tracking an individual who was wanted for several robberies," McManus said.

The chase began on the city's South Side, went to Interstate 10 East and ended up with the man crashing the vehicle in Guadalupe County.

Read: SAPD releases names of officers in recent officer-involved shootings

A group of about 20 law enforcement officers approached the man as smoke billowed from the car's hood.

Armed with a baton, DPS troopers broke the driver's side window.

"DPS officers approached him. DPS tased him twice. Suspect pulled prongs out," McManus said.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: KSAT has chosen to stop the video just prior to the moment when an SAPD officer fatally shoots a man suspected of a carjacking and high-speed chase) 

A struggle between the man and police ensued, with officers jumping back moments later.

"When he went for the gun, our SAPD officer fired one round, striking him in the chest. He was transported to a local hospital in the area, where he was pronounced dead a short time after," McManus said.

SKY 12 video showed a police officer remove an item from the man's vehicle, which McManus confirmed was a gun.

When asked if anything could have been done differently, McManus said no.

"(When) officers are put in a situation like they were last night, they're left with no other option when the person uses deadly force," McManus said.

The identity of the man killed has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

The incident was the sixth fatal officer-involved shooting in the San Antonio Police Department this year.

The officer who killed the man was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.


About the Authors:

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

David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.