SAN ANTONIO – A woman was shot and killed by another woman in a dispute over a man in the parking lot of Bulverde Creek Animal Hospital on Tuesday morning, Bexar County sheriff's officials said.
The victim, 32-year-old Kristy Appleby, was struck at least twice by gunfire and airlifted to University Hospital, where she later died, sheriff's officials said.
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The woman accused of shooting the victim, 36-year-old Leticia Arcos, was arrested at a home on the 100 block of Harald Drive, sheriff's officials said.
During the search for the woman, five schools in the Northeast Independent School District were under lockdown, which was later lifted.
Sheriff's officials said Appleby showed up for work at the animal hospital in the 21900 block of Bulverde Road around 7:15 a.m., when she was ambushed by Arcos. The two got into an argument and then shots were fired, sheriff's officials said.
Appleby was believed to be in a relationship with the suspect's ex-husband, sheriff's officials said. There may have been previous threats by Arcos against Appleby, Deputy Chief Dale Bennett said.
Arcos has been charged with murder and is being held at the Bexar County Jail on $150,000 bond. The Bulverde Creek Animal Hospital has been closed for the rest of the day, and there is no word on whether it will open Wednesday.
Family members of the victim said Tuesday's shooting isn't the first time the pair had been involved in an altercation. The family said Arcos went to Appleby's apartment on Oct. 26, 2008, and forced the victim to write a suicide note, take dozens of pills and threatened other family members if Appleby did not comply. Her sister now blames law enforcement for not doing enough.
"Kristy would be here today if Bexar County had done their job the first time and seeked out other information, and I don't think they did," said Dennis Moehring, the victim's father. "I don't think they cared, and so now, we've got to bury our daughter Friday."
Kayelyn Scofield, the victim's sister, said Appleby applied for a restraining order against Arcos, but was denied. She said Arcos' ex-husband had been divorced for about two years when Appleby began seeing his romantically, and that she ended their relationship after the October incident.
Calls to Bennett seeking comment on the claims by Appleby's family have not been returned as of 8:30 p.m.