SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio police lieutenant who was fired last year for leaving his shift early the night officers shot and killed a woman inside her Southwest Side apartment, has received a second indefinite suspension for altering discipline files tied to the case, records confirm.
Lt. Steven Velasquez received the second indefinite suspension, tantamount to being fired, on May 7, nearly six months after receiving his initial indefinite suspension.
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Velasquez was previously terminated and SAPD Sgt. Paul Rodriguez was suspended seven days after an investigation last year determined that both officers left their shifts early in June, the night Melissa Perez was shot and killed by officers in the 6200 block of Old Pearsall Road.
Velasquez left work more than four hours before his shift was scheduled to end, while Rodriguez left his assigned shift 45 minutes early, records show.
Velasquez failed to respond to the fatal police shooting scene, despite being the highest-ranking member assigned to the South Patrol service area, his previous discipline paperwork states.
Rodriguez was seen changing out of his SAPD uniform into civilian clothes and leaving the substation in his personal vehicle less than 20 minutes before Perez was shot and killed by officers, records indicate.
Velasquez appealed the first indefinite suspension on Dec. 13, records obtained by KSAT show.
Records: Velasquez altered and deleted records from internal affairs file
In late November, Velasquez was forwarded an administrative review report instructing him to issue a chief of police disciplinary decision to an officer under the lieutenant’s command, records show.
The following day, on Nov. 29, Velasquez accessed the entry and “made unauthorized alterations and modifications” to it, discipline records show.
The modifications included Velasquez removing his name and the name of another supervisor from the entry altogether, records show.
The removal of their names deleted any record of their involvement in the internal affairs case, according to records.
Additionally, Velasquez modified the roles of one citizen, nine other officers, SAPD administration as well as improperly updating “snapshot data” of six officers in the entry, records show.
“Lieutenant Steven Velasquez’s actions stated above render his continuance in office detrimental to effective law enforcement and the needs of the San Antonio Police Department,” the suspension paperwork states.
“He denies the accusation and looks forward to an appeal,” Velasquez’s attorney, Ben Sifuentes, told KSAT via text message Wednesday.
Update on criminal cases of three SAPD officers charged in Perez’s death
Perez, 46, was experiencing a mental health crisis and had a hammer in her hand when police shot her through a patio window and door, SAPD officials previously said.
Sgt. Alfred Flores, Officer Eleazar Alejandro and Officer Nathaniel Villalobos were quickly charged with murder in connection to Perez’s death.
Late last year, Alejandro and Flores were indicted for murder, while Villalobos was indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a public servant.
Their cases have been tentatively set for trial on June 27, although they will likely be reset.
All three officers were indefinitely suspended from SAPD, but have appealed, their attorneys confirmed to KSAT.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.