At least during an hourslong armed standoff after responding to a “suicide in progress” call in San Antonio on Wednesday night, authorities said.
After aof the unidentified suspect, a man in his 40s, called police, the gunman opened fire on the first officer to arrive at the apartment in the city’s Stone Oak area, officials said.
He then proceeded to shoot six more officers more while barricaded in the property, San Antonio police said. All seven officers’ injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
SAPD confirmed that the suspect had died, but said it was unclear whether he had shot himself or was shot by police.
Police evacuated residents from the apartment block who could be safely moved, reported.
“SWAT arrived on the scene and the suspect barricaded himself inside the apartment for several hours,” SAPD Chief William P. McManus said in a video posted to Facebook.
“At the end of the event the suspect was found to be deceased, we don’t know if he was shot by a self-inflicted wound or whether or not he was shot by squad officers.”
Neighbor Joseph Loredo said he heard a loud pop while studying before going to his balcony to see at least two helicopters and hearing more shots.
“When I went outside, I saw one of the SAPD officers had been shot,” he told . “It looked like a leg wound because they were putting a tourniquet on him and then they dragged him away.”
Sheriff’s deputies and a SWAT unit eventually joined the first officers to arrive on the scene.
“PD was actually firing back,” Loredo said. “The person who’s shooting actually shot a few of the officers. So I witnessed this. I saw at least a few of them get shot.”
The suspect was arrested on Jan. 18 on two counts of assault and one count of driving while intoxicated, McManus said.
