Man killed in fight along River Walk, witnesses said he was trying to get away from attacker

Suspect taken into custody further down the River Walk, charged with manslaughter

Rafael Ernesto Mata, 46, has been charged with manslaughter, records show.be (Bexar County Jail)

SAN ANTONIO – A man was killed and another man was arrested following an altercation along the River Walk late Wednesday night, according to police.

A preliminary report from SAPD states that the assault happened before 11 p.m. in the 200 block of River Walk, near West Crockett and N. St. Mary’s streets.

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Both men were involved in some type of argument, and one of them tried to escape by climbing atop an elevated landscape, witnesses told police.

He was then punched by the suspect, which caused him to fall and possibly strike his head, police said.

The victim, 65, was unresponsive when police arrived. He was pronounced dead at 11:20 p.m.

Police said witnesses spotted the suspect, identified as 46-year-old Rafael Ernesto Mata, along the River Walk, east of the crime scene.

He was taken into custody and charged with manslaughter, booking records show. A bond amount has not yet been set.

The victim has not been publicly identified by police. The incident is under investigation.

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About the Author:

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.