SAN ANTONIO – An elderly woman who died during a standoff was wearing the same color shirt SWAT officers said was worn by a person who was shooting at them, a report said. While law enforcement officials have not previously said who caused her death, the report said it was law enforcement.
Amelia Huron-Macias, 84, was inside a home on the 9200 block of Saddle Trail March 6. Deputies with the Bexar County Mental Health Unit went there to execute a mental health warrant that had been issued for her son, Fernando Macias Jr. Deputies said the Bexar County Sheriff's Office SWAT showed up after he refused to come out of the home and he fired at them, wounding two deputies.
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Deputies believed Fernando "appeared to intentionally shoot at propane tanks strategically placed inside the residence, but was unsuccessful in causing a detonation" a report filed by the Department of Public Safety said.
With no success in negotiating with Fernando, DPS SWAT were called to the scene the following day. They established a relief plan to allow BCSO SWAT to be replaced safely.
"The relief plan included the introduction of diversionary devices into the second-floor of the residence where Fernando was last observed. At this point, Fernando had not been heard from or observed in approximately 15 hours. It was the intent, the introduction of diversionary devices through second-floor windows would result in increased visibility into the residence, providing information and the location of Fernando and Amelia," the report said.
After those devices were used, someone started shooting at them from a second-floor window. The SWAT officers could not see the person because there were blinds covering the window.
"DPS SWAT officers identified and announced the suspect firing at them from the second-floor window was wearing a red shirt. DPS SWAT officers returned fire at the perceived threat," the report said.
Using a public address system to continue the effort to communicate with Macias, the report said they continued to be fired upon from the second-floor window for several hours. They eventually broke a glass door on the second floor and sent in a drone to search for the mother and son.
"Upon making entry, the camera-equipped UAS drone observed one subject wearing a red shirt, lying on the floor near the second-floor window," the report said.
DPS SWAT went into the home and found the person wearing the red shirt was Amelia Huron-Macias.
"It appeared Amelia had sustained multiple gunshot wounds," the report said. "Fernando was also located on the second-floor, near Amelia's location, and was taken into custody. Fernando had also sustained multiple gunshot wounds, but was alive."
The report notes "several rifle magazines" near the pair with a semi-automatic rifle "perched at the second-floor window and partially extended through the window resting on attached security bars."
The report said Amelia Huron-Macias's death was caused by law enforcement using a rifle or shotgun. It said her time of death was 4:50 p.m. on March 7. As of April 5 an autopsy was still pending.
Fernando Macias has been charged with three counts of attempted capital murder of a police officer.