Shootout leaves man dead, 4 San Antonio officers injured

[eoR]

By Sonja Garza, Elaine Aradillias and Jesse Bogan
Express-News Staff Writers

Link to story

A San Antonio police officer was still in surgery late this morning after he killed the man responsible for a gunbattle early today at a Northeast Side restaurant that involved three other police officers.

Police Officer Michael Muñiz, 22, was being treated at Brooke Army Medical Center for four gunshot wounds suffered in the battle with the man, who died on top of Muñiz after wounding at least two other officers and seriously injuring a third.

Police Officer David Evans, 51, who also participated in the gunbattle, which began shortly after 3:30 a.m. at the Denny’s restaurant at Perrin Beitel Road and Loop 410, was released from surgery at BAMC shortly after 11 a.m.

Evans, who lost a portion of his colon in the surgery, suffered gunshot wounds to an arm, his chest and abdomen. He is still listed in critical condition and is on a ventilator.

San Antonio Police Chief Albert Ortiz said the man, who had been released after serving only seven years of a 12-year sentence for an attempted murder conviction in 1995, had commandeered the vehicle of his 20-year-old girlfriend and used a shotgun in forcing her to go to the Denny’s to confront a man he had seen her with.

Ortiz, speaking at a news conference this morning at Police Department headquarters, was encouraged by reports coming from BAMC and University Hospital, where the other two officers, Detective John Bocko and Officer Nathan Patrick Murray were being treated.

“The news since they got to the hospital has been very good,†Ortiz said at a news conference this morning at the Police Department’s headquarters. “Evans, miraculously, is coming back very strongly,†Ortiz said. Evans and Bocko were the first to respond to a domestic dispute at the restaurant.

The officers were responding to a couple fighting at the restaurant, police spokesman Gabe Trevino said.

Ortiz said the situation appeared to have been settled in a routine manner when the man, who remains unidentified, attacked Bocko.

“He was going to walk away when he just whirled and cold-cocked Officer, Detective Bocco,†Ortiz said, who added that the man may have attacked the detective when the 20-year-old girlfriend told police that the man may have a gun.

In the attack on Bocko, the man grabbed the detective’s gun. He then turned on Evans.

At that point, the shootout moved to the parking lot, where the man confronted Muñiz and Murray, who were both shot in the neck.

Ortiz said witnesses described Muñiz, who also suffered three other wounds, standing “toe to toe†against the shooter.

“Officer Muñiz, it would have been understandable if he had backed off and waited,†Ortiz said. “But he didn’t.â€

Not a lot of details yet but evidently Officer Muñiz is just months out of the academy and had already been shot four times when he when he finally was able to kill the BG.

 

[Blackhawk]

In the attack on Bocko, the man grabbed the detective’s gun. He then turned on Evans.

Obviously, the SAPD needs a BUNCH of training on gun control as in how to KEEP your gun in YOUR control!

Hope all the LEOs are going to be fine, but this story is about some serioius training that needs to be done.

It's also about turning dangerous felons loose before they've served their time. Jail overcrowding, maybe...?

 

[dave]

I agree with you, BH.

The man should have never been close enough to do what he did. Letting one's guard down can be soooo bad.

I hope everyone comes out as well as they can. And my hat's off to the officer who, when faced with a "right now, in your face" confrontation, stood his ground and did the best he could.

Wonder if those who let the gunman out of prison early will visit the officers in the hospital?

 

[St. Gunner]

Out the back of the SAPD academy they have a mock graveyard, for those students who loose control of their weapon in retention drills, you go dig your own grave and they erect a little headstone for you.

We'll never know exactly what transpired there, but it is proof positive that their is a training problem when one man hits four officers before someone stops him. I think SAPD is carrying .40 s&w Glocks at the present time, how many times was the guy hit before he dropped, or was he?

I think lots of times we have officers who fail to practice with that gun on their hip. My brother-in-law who grew up shooting rifles and shotguns almost didn't requalify a few months ago because he refuses to practice. In part because the department fails to provide practice ammo for his .357 Sig and he won't buy any. I can't drum it into his head that he needs to, if it means buying a used sig in 9mm to be able to afford to shoot it daily or weekly.

I know that we had some various law enforcement officers who used to shoot IDPA like it was a religion every month, but we had many more who showed up once, got soundly whipped and never returned.

 

[Average Guy]

I think lots of times we have officers who fail to practice with that gun on their hip.

Sadly, from personal experience, St. Gunner, I'll have to agree with you. My darling wife, just 3 months out of the academy, took 3 tries to pass her handgun qual. Despite my willingness to train with her, run the shot timer, whatever--she just never got around to it. I think for many of them, it's just not that important. Until they need it, of course.

And I'm already tired of hearing "We don't have ammo; we can't practice" from the TSA. You DON'T NEED AMMO to dry practice.

(edit: "a round" to "around." Interesting double entendre, but grammatactically--uh, grammatically incorrect.)

 

[VaughnT]

Believe me when I say that this apathy is very common in every facet of the armed industry. Working for an armored car company you would think I was surrounded by hard-core shooters, but I'm not. I've tried every argument there is under the sun, pure logic even, but nothing gets through the old, "what're the odds that'll ever happen to me?" :banghead:

And what's worse is that we are far greater targets than cops ever were. Every good guy and every bad guy believes our trucks are slap full of millions of dollars (a falsehood if ever there was one) and that puts a serious pricetag on our heads. Ooooh, could I tell you some stories!!!