SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar released new information on the deputy-involved shooting that led to the death of 6-year-old Kameron Prescott and the suspect identified as 33-year-old Amanda Lenee Jones, a wanted felon.
According to jail records, Jones had an extensive criminal history with her first charge coming in Sept. 2006 for possession of a controlled substance in Guadalupe County.
Jones was arrested at least 13 additional times in three different countries on separate charges, with her most recent in Feb. 2017 for burglary of a building.
According to jail records, Jones also served five years in prison on a drug charge.
On Friday, Salazar held a press conference summarizing Thursday’s manhunt, providing new details on the confrontation between Jones and responding deputies.
The first responding BCSO deputy identified what he believed to be a weapon in the hands of Jones, who Salazar said “physically threatened the deputy with that weapon and verbalized to him that she intended to shoot him with that weapon.”
“That deputy lost sight of the suspect a couple of times and she made it down to a wooded area,” Salazar said.
After Jones crossed a creek and traveled three-quarters of a mile to the Pecan Grove Mobile Home Park on FM 78, deputies found her approximately two hours later, and once again she made threats toward them with what they believed to be a handgun.
LIVE: Authorities are expected to give an update on a deputy-involved shooting that resulted in the death of a 6-year-old boy and known felon. STORY: http://bit.ly/2BWTZiL
Posted by KSAT 12 & KSAT.com on Friday, December 22, 2017
Salazar said several civilian witnesses also reported being threatened by Jones after she indicated she was carrying a weapon.
“The next time deputies saw the suspect in the case was on the front porch of the trailer where the shooting actually occurred,” Salazar said. “The suspect forced her way into the home that the incident took place at.”
Salazar said an adult, a female minor and 6-year-old Kameron were inside the home before the shooting.
“While she was in the home, the civilian witnesses inside the home report she was holding an object in her hand that may have been a weapon and also made threats to them and also was going to take their vehicle from them.”
As the suspect exited the home, she confronted officers on the front porch. Salazar said four deputies and a K-9 officer were at the scene.
The deputies said in statements she was holding an object in her hand, which they believed to be a weapon at the time. Four deputies then opened fire on the suspect.
Authorities released the names of the deputies along with their years of service. The deputies' years of service range from 2 years to 27 years.
Deputy John Aguillon
Years of service: 27 years, 1 month
Deputy George Herrera
Years of service: 16 years, 4 months
Deputy Jesse Arias
Years of service: 7 years, 4 months
Reserve Deputy Johnny Longoria
Years of service: 2 years, 0 months
Salazar said investigators now know there was no weapon found at the scene, but what they found was an 8-inch tubular, pipe object underneath a deck where the suspect fell. The object had the suspect’s blood and mud on it.
“We believe now that object was very well what those deputies saw, also what those civilian witnesses saw, and all of them perceived to be a weapon of some sort, a handgun of some sort,” Salazar said.
According to a preliminary investigation, Salazar said the proper procedures were followed during the shooting and the deputies complied with the protocol.
He added the department is reviewing two videos from the shooting, an aerial video and a body camera located on a deputy.
Investigators are also searching the area for a handgun that she allegedly pointed at deputies.
Salazar added internal affairs and the district attorney’s office were also reviewing the deputy-involved shooting. He also said the deputies did not believe anyone was inside the home when they opened fire.
“Right now, what I’m dealing with is a tragic accident that led to the death of this young man,” Salazar said. “I can tell you the grandfather of this young man Kameron is a friend of mine for the past 20 years (and) a peace officer.”
“I’ve actually spoken to him and conveyed messages to the family through him.”
Salazar said the deputies involved in Thursday's shooting have all been placed on administrative leave.