In a dramatic turn of events on Thursday afternoon, a Texas parking lot in San Antonio became the backdrop for a deadly gunfight after a man and his passenger tracked down their stolen vehicle at a nearby mall. The incident left one alleged thief dead, the vehicle owner and a female passenger injured, and authorities grappling with the complexities of self-defense and property rights.
According to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, the vehicle’s owners, whose names were not released, discovered their Ford truck missing when they exited the South Park Mall around 1 p.m. Undeterred, they embarked on a mission to locate their stolen property, which led them to another parking lot within the mall premises.
Spotting two individuals, a male and a female, inside their truck, the owners took action, holding the suspects at gunpoint while waiting for the police to arrive. However, the situation took a deadly turn when the alleged thief produced a gun from his waistband and shot the vehicle’s owner, who had been apprehending him. In a desperate act of self-defense, the owner fired back, fatally wounding the male thief.
Tragically, the male thief was pronounced dead at the scene, while the vehicle’s owner and the female passenger were rushed to a local hospital, where they were listed in stable and critical condition, respectively.
Chief McManus emphasized that the owner had every right to search for his stolen property, but acknowledged that involving the police would have been the preferred course of action. He explained that while the owner chose to take matters into his own hands, he acted in what he believed was necessary to protect his property.
The deceased thief’s brother, Jose Garcia, challenged the notion that the car owner had the right to pursue and confront his brother, arguing that the situation could have been resolved without resorting to lethal force. He maintained that, regardless of any wrongdoing on his brother’s part, it was unjust to take a life over a mere vehicle.
As the investigation unfolds, questions remain regarding the circumstances leading up to the shooting. The sequence of events between the moment authorities were called and the actual shooting is currently being probed by the police.
