SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Police Chief William McManus announced late Monday that he has reversed course and will not fire an officer who shot and killed an unarmed man last month.
On March 1, McManus said Officer John Lee would be suspended indefinitely.
Lee shot and killed Antronie Scott, 36, on Feb. 4 after pulling him over at the Wood Hollow Apartments near Isom and East Ramsey roads.
Lee was called in to assist undercover officers in arresting Scott, who had outstanding warrants, the police department said.
Department policy doesn't allow officers not in uniform or in marked cars to make traffic stops, the department said.
McManus said that Scott was holding a cellphone when he was shot. He said Lee feared for his life when he opened fire.
In a statement McManus said Officer John Lee will undergo additional training, but not any disciplinary measures.
Lee will remain on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.
The decision comes the same day that union members begin casting “no confidence” votes against McManus.
Mayor Ivy Taylor on Tuesday released the following statement in regard's to McManus' decision:
"I have been in close communication with Chief McManus throughout the investigation. While the initial impression was that poor tactical execution by Officer Lee alone led to the loss of Mr. Scott's life, the investigation revealed that responsibility for the outcome was shared and therefore firing Officer Lee was not appropriate," Taylor said. "While I still believe this tragic incident should never have occurred, I understand the Chief's path on discipline here. I remain committed to carrying out the police reforms in training that we have begun. I am also asking the city manager and police chief to examine how we expand our community policing efforts. Regular interactions between neighborhood residents and our officers can go a long way toward preventing these types of incidents."