SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – A woman crashed into a parked car and turned a residential street into a shooting gallery Wednesday night. When the smoke cleared, she was dead along with one of her victims, and two more were wounded.
San Antonio police say it unfolded around 10 p.m. in the 400 block of Hazel Street, where they responded to a reported car crash. While in route, they learned that the incident had escalated into a shooting scene. A woman allegedly crashed her vehicle into a parked car. As neighbors stepped outside to investigate the noise and render aid, she exited the vehicle and began shooting at them.
“You have residents concerned, neighbors coming out and checking on the suspect in that suspect vehicle. At some point they are fired upon for some unknown, unprovoked reason,” commented Officer Cory Schuler, SAPD Public Information Officer.
Three people were shot by the woman. The owner of the parked car, a 48-year-old man, died of his wounds. An 18-year-old man and 51-year-old woman also were critically wounded and transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Fortunately, another person was armed and put a stop to the woman’s murderous rampage. “During the shooting, a neighbor from a nearby residence, intervenes, comes to the aids of the victims, opens fire on our suspect, striking her multiple times,” Schuler said. The 28-year-old woman responsible for the car crash and the shooting of innocent victims was fatally shot by the neighbor who stepped up and intervened.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner has not yet released the names of the deceased. The incident is still under investigation but according to Schuler it is not likely that the neighbor who shot the suspect will face any charges.
This tragic case proves once again that anyone can become a victim at anytime and anyplace. Even if you have the best of intentions and are attempting to help someone, you could fall victim to their rage. It goes against the good nature of most Americans, but sometimes it’s better to observe from a safe place and let the first responders handle the situation when they arrive. However, in this case, the neighbor who was armed and situationally aware had, and exercised, the ability to end the incident and loss of innocent life. In fact, he may well have prevented the injury or death of responding officers who may have become the woman’s targets as they arrived.
This is why having a defensive firearm, training in it’s use, situational awareness, and the presence of mind to make split second decisions in rapidly developing and chaotic situations is so critical in today’s society.
