Pepper Spray Used On Crowd After 3 Texas Officers Shoot, Kill Man Who They Say Had Gun
SAN ANTONIO (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Police in Texas clashed with a crowd that gathered after three officers fatally shot a 27-year-old man who they say pulled out a gun while they tried to arrest him.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the officers were on routine patrol near Woodlawn Lake Park when they came across the man, who family members identified as Kevin Johnson, KSAT-TV reports.
According to McManus, the officers tried to stop him, but he ran and at some point pulled a gun from his waistband. "At what point the officers shot, I don't know because again I haven't seen the body cam," McManus said. The Chief said a weapon was recovered.
McManus said the suspect was wanted on two felony warrants, including assault of a police officer and felony possession of a firearm.
Jasmine Johnson, a woman who said she was Johnson's sister, said her brother was shot nine times in the back, KSAT-TV reports.
The shooting led to a tense and chaotic scene between police and people who had gathered in the aftermath.
At one point, police tossed pepper spray at the angry crowd, including Johnson's mother Arlene Garcia, who along with her daughter, said they just wanted answers about what led up to the shooting of their loved one.
"They shot my son from behind, and that's wrong. They shot him nine times, and nobody here has nothing to say to me. Nobody has nothing to say," Garcia said, gesturing towards the line of officers.
Johnson's father was seen trying to rush officers, but people in the crowd held him back.
Authorities have not released any details about how many times or where on his body Johnson was shot.
The crowd started to become irate with police officers and even started to chant obscenities. More people were pepper-sprayed, and some members of the crowd could be seen trying to wash it off with bottled water. Several people were detained by police and taken from the scene.
As some officers tried to leave, the crowd dispersed and surrounded an SAPD unit and were banging on the windows before the officer eventually drove off. One of the SAPD vehicles also had its tires slashed.
According to Chief McManus, the officers involved in the shooting have been with the department for 4, 5 and 16 years respectively. They will be placed on administrative duty as per department policy.
(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)