SAN ANTONIO – Auto theft victims in San Antonio located their stolen truck in a parking lot and confronted two people inside. One of the suspects pulled a gun and shot the truck owner, who returned fire killing the gunman and seriously wounding his cohort, police said.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said during a press conference that one of the truck owners called police about two minutes prior to the deadly encounter once the auto theft victims tracked down their truck in a parking lot at South Park Mall Thursday afternoon, reported KSAT.
When the owners found their truck, they confronted a man and woman sitting inside the stolen vehicle, McManus told reporters at the scene.
Both suspects exited the vehicle at gunpoint, McManus said, and one of the owners notified police of their discovery.
However, the male suspect who was originally found in the driver’s seat, was directed by the armed truck owner to sit by the rear tire, according to McManus.
During the confrontation, the suspect pulled a gun from his waistband and shot the male owner who then returned fire, McManus said.
Large police scene here at South Park Mall in the parking lot on the Southwest side. Waiting for info from @SATXPolice. We saw several ambulances leaving when we got here, there’s a fire truck in place, several SAPD units. @ksatnews pic.twitter.com/R3Oz8AKWLp
— Leigh Waldman (@LeighWaldman) July 27, 2023
The male suspect died in the shooting while the female cohort was also struck and transported the hospital in critical condition, Yahoo News reported.
The wounded truck owner was taken to a nearby hospital and reported to be in stable condition, according to police.
“It’s a case, it’s certainly a case of self-defense,” McManus noted, saying the truck owner has the right to retrieve his property.
However, he also said it was important for people to call police, which they did, “[B]ut he did what he felt that he needed to do.”
No one involved in the encounter was identified by police and no further details were immediately available.
