SAN ANTONIO — A 28-year-old man who police say shot two San Antonio officers trying to apprehend him Thursday afternoon was taken into custody after a prolonged standoff on the west side.
Jesse Garcia, who was wanted on multiple felony warrants, was taken into custody Thursday evening, according to SAPD.
It started a little after 5 p.m., when the unidentified man shot at officers who were trying to arrest him near Southtown, hitting one of them. He eventually barricaded himself into an apartment unit in the area of Loop 410 and Highway 90, where dozens of law enforcement units could be seen from Chopper 5. That's where a second officer was shot multiple times, according to authorities.
At 9:10 p.m., San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) Chief William McManus shared the news on social media: "Suspect is in custody!" A spokesperson said Garcia was arrested without incident.
Garcia faces a slew of charges in connection with Tuesday's shootings and standoff, including five counts of aggravated assault against a public servant and two counts of aggravated robbery. He's jailed on total bonds of $4.25 million.
McManus initially categorized the officers' injuries as "serious" Thursday afternoon, but SAPD said via social media the next morning that they were both stable after being taken to local hospitals. They have not been identified.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg posted on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, about the incident Thursday night, calling it "a horrific incident without rhyme or reason."
Earlier in the day
According to McManus, police received a tip that Garcia was in the area of 100 Camelot Court on the southwest side. SAPD, with the help of SWAT, began to surveil the area in hopes of locating him.
Garcia eventually got into a car being driven by a second individual and drove off, with police in pursuit. At some point while in the area of 100 Oriental a few miles away, Garcia, armed with what McManus said was a "long gun," shot at those officers, hitting one. Another officer was injured by debris.
Garcia then stole another vehicle "at gunpoint," SAPD says, and fled west as police continued to pursue. He got to an apartment complex in the area of Loop 410 and U.S. Highway 90 about eight miles away, where authorities say he again shot at officers – hitting one – before barricading himself in an apartment unit.
The driver who picked up the suspect was detained, but has not been charged. The standoff at the apartment complex lasted about three hours, culminating in the arrest of the suspected gunman. Dozens of police cruisers could be seen from Chopper 5 as the standoff was underway.
The suspect, authorities said, was out on bond.
At the scene along the 100 block of Oriental, where the first officer was shot, a blue vehicle with its rear windshield shot out could be seen. It's believed that's the first car the suspects were trying to escape in.
Who are the victims?
The officers have not been identified, but McManus said they have been with SAPD for six and four years, respectively. One is a SWAT officer, the other a patrol officer.
“At the end of the day, we all want to go home," said SAPD Sgt. Washington Moscoso on Thursday night. "We know the risks associated with our job. Today was one of those days where two officers didn’t go home at the end of their shift... hopefully they will soon.”
As of Friday morning, the officers were in stable condition.
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