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SAPD officer shot in head pursuing robbery suspects

Wounded officer ID'd as Robert Deckard; Police say 2 suspects arrested

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A San Antonio Police Department officer remains hospitalized after being shot in the head during a high speed chase Sunday morning.

Robert Deckard, 31, is currently in the intensive care unit at SAMMC after undergoing several hours of emergency surgery.

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Doctors were unable to remove the bullet from the back of his brain.

"Multiple family members showed up at the hospital," said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. "They're obviously devastated."

Two suspects were taken into custody by Wilson County Sheriff's deputies following the chase. The suspects have been identified as 32-year-old Shawn Ruiz Puente and 28-year-old Genevive Ramos.

The incident started after a robbery at the San Pedro Food Mart around 12 a.m. Sunday.

According to police, a man and woman wearing black jackets and bandanas over their faces walked into the store and demanded money from the clerk.

After the suspects stole the money, they fled the scene in a dark grey vehicle. Police then issued a "be on look out" alert for the vehicle.

Around 2 a.m., South Patrol officers spotted the vehicle on Military Dr. and gave pursuit onto Interstate 37 South.

The chase, which reached speeds of 100 mph, led to Mathis Road and down I-37 South into Atascosa County where the suspects began firing shots at the officer.

The bullet that struck Deckard went through the windshield of his patrol car and hit him in the forehead. Deckard lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a grassy median.

The Pleasanton Fire Department was dispatched and San Antonio EMS arrived shortly after and transferred Decker to SAMMC in critical condition.

The suspects continued heading south to Highway 181 and CR 224 in Wilson County where they got out of the vehicle and fled on foot.

Officers and deputies from DPS, Atascosa County, Poth County and Wilson County continued the pursuit, ultimately capturing the suspects.

McManus said the suspects are likely to remain in the Wilson County Jail overnight. Official charges are still pending.

"[They] will not be magistrated until tomorrow morning, and at that point, I'm not sure when [they] will be coming to San Antonio, but [they] will at some point to face charges," he said.

Investigators believe Puente and Ramos may be responsible for a series of robberies, which is part of the reason why Deckard continued to pursue them across multiple county lines.

"These individuals are suspected of committing at least six [robberies] the previous night and up to 15 altogether in recent time," McManus said. "That's what got this going."

McManus said Deckard was not meant to work Sunday.

"Someone asked him to fill in for them so that they could take off, and being the good guy that he is, he filled in for them at the South Substation. That's why he was down there," McManus said. "It's tough to see people in pain and it's tough to see one of your own guys go down. It doesn't matter young or old or how long or short they've been with the police department."


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