SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Police released surveillance video Thursday of a fatal shooting that happened at the San Antonio International Airport in April.
The surveillance video is one of two videos that were released after the police department’s policy change in December 2020, which requires SAPD to release “portions of videos and 911 calls related to critical incidents involving officer-involved shootings or use of force resulting in death of an individual,” according to a news release.
Although an officer was equipped with a body-worn camera during this shooting, SAPD said due to extreme circumstances, the camera wasn’t activated before the incident. As such, SAPD released what it determined to be relevant surveillance video from the lower terminal that shows the shooting unfold. The surveillance video does not have any audio. (Viewer discretion is advised.)
The shooting happened April 15, when the suspect, Joe Gomez, 46, was seen driving the wrong way in the airport’s Terminal B. Gomez had opened fire from a highway ramp earlier in the afternoon before making his way to the airport, police said.
San Antonio Park Police Officer John Maines heard another officer’s warning about Gomez and immediately began walking toward the suspect’s vehicle.
In the video, Gomez is seen exiting his vehicle with a handgun and opening fire in the direction of the officer, numerous bystanders and passing vehicles.
Gomez is also seen firing gunshots and then ducking behind the driver’s side front door of his vehicle during the gunfire exchange.
Maines returned fire and struck Gomez twice. But just moments later, Gomez had turned the gun on himself, which is blocked out of the video.
Gomez was taken to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy from the Bexar County Medical Examiner revealed that Gomez fatal gunshot wound was self-inflicted.
No one else was injured in the shooting and Maines was placed on administrative duty, according to police. The investigation of the shooting is still ongoing.