SAN ANTONIO – A man who was shot and killed by San Antonio police officers was armed with a large knife and refused to drop it, according to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
The deadly encounter happened just after 12 a.m. Thursday outside a Family Dollar store in the 2300 block of Castroville Road.
San Antonio police officers shoot, kill man reportedly armed with knife
McManus said officers were attempting to talk to the man at the time.
“The man went into his backpack and pulled out a knife with about a ten inch blade on it and he started advancing toward the officers,” he said.
The three officers were responding to a call at the time for a disturbance in that area involving someone who had a gun and knife.
They believe the man who they encountered was the subject of that call, placed by an anonymous caller, McManus said.
As the man moved toward officers with the knife in his hand, McManus said, they kept backing up until they reached the curb about 50 yards away.
At that point, he says, they were out of options.
“He continued to advance and at some point, thereafter, they fired,” McManus said.
The man was shot in his upper body several times.
He was taken to a hospital where he died from his wounds.
Police did not release his name right away. At last check late Friday morning, the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office was still working to identify him.
McManus identified the three officers who were involved as a one month rookie, a 10-year veteran and 14-year veteran of the department.
“The three will be on admin duty until this is reviewed by the DA, as is routine,” he said.