SAN ANTONIO — Three San Antonio police officers have been charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing a 46-year-old woman on the southwest side early Friday morning. Chief William McManus said the use of deadly force "was not reasonable."
Multiple investigations have been launched in the aftermath, including one by the Bexar County district attorney's office.
McManus said it's believed the victim, Melissa Perez, was suffering a mental health episode when she tinkered with a fire alarm in her southwest-side apartment around 2 a.m., sparking a response by police and local firefighters.
Perez eventually locked herself in her unit, launching an apparent standoff as additional officers arrived. The situation escalated when McManus said she shattered a window from the inside with a hammer; officers responded by firing in her direction, but McManus said it didn't appear she was hit in the exchange.
Perez eventually returned to the patio door, still holding the hammer. Three members of SAPD – Sgt. Alfred Flores, Officer Eleazar Alejandro and Officer Nathaniel Villalobos – responded by firing at Perez, fatally hitting her at least twice. Police subsequently broke into the apartment to try and provide medical attention, but McManus says she died at the scene.
“After reviewing the evidence in this case and speaking with the DA, warrants were issued," the police chief said Friday evening, at the same time as body camera footage of the incident was released online.
"You ain't got a warrant," the victim can be heard saying as officers are seen crowding around her patio door.
Earlier in the day, McManus on several occasions characterized the preliminary information from the scene along Old Pearsall Road as "very sketchy." In Friday evening's update, he extended condolences to Perez's family after saying the actions of the now-suspended officers were "not consistent with SAPD evidence and training."
Flores has been with SAPD for 14 years, while Alejandro and Villalobos have been with the department for five and two years, respectively. All three were being held on $100,000 bonds. Saturday morning, KENS 5 learned that all three had bonded out of jail.
Ananda Tomas, executive director of the local grassroots activist group ACT4SA, told KENS 5 that "Perez should be alive," adding the investigations are "the next step towards what justice we can get with the system as it currently exists."
Bexar County Jail released the mugshots of the three officers. They are below:
This is a developing story. Check back with KENS5.com for updates.
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