Texas officer shot to death in "ambush" while responding to domestic disturbance call
An officer was killed and two others wounded in what police called an "ambush" shooting Saturday night in San Marcos, Texas. The suspect died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the San Marcos Police Department said.
According to police, the officers responded to an assault/domestic disturbance call around 6 p.m. Saturday. Officers were then "ambushed" by a suspect with a rifle.
The slain officer has been identified as 31-year-old Justin Putnam, CBS San Antonio affiliate KENS-TV reports. He had been with SMPD for five and a half years after graduating from Texas State University. Putnam leaves behind a fiancee and family with public safety backgrounds, according to KENS.
The two wounded officers, Officer Franco Stewart and Officer Justin Mueller, are in critical but stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit at a local hospital, police said.
The suspect has since been identified as Alfredo Perez De La Cruz, 45, according to KENS-TV. Police said he had on body armor and started shooting at officers immediately.
"[Saturday's] shooting in San Marcos is a somber reminder of the service and sacrifice our brave men and women in law enforcement make every day to keep us safe," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement. "I am grateful for the swift action of the San Marcos Police Department in containing the threat and minimizing the loss of life."
San Marcos is some 50 miles northeast of San Antonio in central Texas.
