SAN ANTONIO – A 22-year-old man is in custody after San Antonio police said he fired gunshots toward officers sitting in their patrol vehicle in a church parking lot early Sunday on the Northeast Side.
Tyler Ashbaugh is charged with aggravated assault of a peace officer for that incident that happened around 2:45 a.m. in the 14000 block of O’Connor Road.
Lt. Michelle Ramos said two officers were working on police reports inside of their patrol car when a white SUV came toward them at a high rate of speed.
The vehicle pulled up in front of the patrol car and the driver fired two gunshots toward the officers.
The officers got out of their patrol vehicle and one of them, who is a three-year veteran with SAPD, returned fire. Nobody was injured during the gunfire.
The driver got away, but detectives tracked down the white SUV parked in the driveway of a residence in the 4500 block of Buckmoor Street.
Police also found a spent shell casing inside the SUV and saw that the vehicle sustained damage from the gunfire.
SAPD called in SWAT and worked to determine whether the suspect was inside the residence.
The homeowner eventually came outside to speak with officers and said Ashbaugh, a family member, borrowed the vehicle but was not at the residence. Officers were then given the suspect’s name and were able to find more details on his whereabouts.
Investigators located Ashbaugh’s residence Sunday afternoon, set up surveillance outside and waited for him to leave. Once he came out, police took Ashbaugh into custody without incident for an outstanding warrant, which is believed to be traffic-related.
Officers also searched his residence on a warrant, where they recovered a gun, according to Lt. Ramos.
Ashbaugh was brought into SAPD’s homicide office, where he was questioned. Police also interviewed two witnesses of the shooting.
Lt. Ramos said police had enough to arrest Ashbaugh.
The two officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave and then administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation. Their identities have not yet been released.
