A parking lot turned into a lethal encounter on Thursday afternoon at South Park Mall, San Antonio, Texas, July 27, when a man and his passenger left the mall around 1 pm to find their Ford truck stolen.
Undeterred, they traced their vehicle to another parking area within the mall and found a male and female suspect inside. The truck’s owner held the alleged perpetrators at gunpoint, awaiting police intervention. The situation took a deadly turn when the supposed car thief drew a handgun, shooting the vehicle’s owner, who retaliated by firing back and hitting both suspects. The male suspect was declared dead at the location, while the truck owner and the female suspect were rushed to a local hospital in critical and stable condition, respectively.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus labeled the incident as self-defense, asserting that the vehicle’s owner had the right to recover his stolen property. However, he recommended that people call the police before resorting to self-help measures. Photos following the incident depicted the wounded female suspect being assisted by officers, with blood visibly streaming down her leg. The deceased male suspect was found face down in the parking lot.
Reacting to the incident, the deceased suspect’s brother, Jose Garcia, raised questions over the vehicle owner’s alleged right to pursue and fatally wound his brother. He accused the shooter of acting like a vigilante and implored people to delegate such enforcement to the authorities.
