SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar reminded the public Thursday about safe exchange zones for online sales at BCSO substations and San Antonio Police substations after two exchanges ended with shootings.
He said these locations provide a safe, well-lit spot for exchanges to occur.
“Obviously, we can’t guarantee that people won’t try anything,” Salazar said. “If they are hesitant to come meet you at a police station then maybe there was something amiss and you probably shouldn’t be dealing with those folks anyway.”
Salazar referenced two incidents that occurred Tuesday night, where an online sale exchange ended in gunfire. One shooting was on Hume Road where Salazar said a 19-year-old was shot and killed while trying to sell a black Dodge Charger. He said a 17-year-old believed to be connected to the case showed up later at Northeast Baptist Hospital, with a gunshot wound and later died.
Salazar said another incident was at a fast food restaurant at FM 78 and Walzem Road, where a 17-year-old and a woman agreed to meet a man to sell a necklace.
“The suspect in the case actually told the victims to drive around to the back of the restaurant to another location because it was too crowded there to conduct the transaction. That should have been a red flag for the victims in this case,” Salazar said.
Salazar said the suspect got into the car and started to act like he was logging on to an app to pay the victims but said it wasn’t working. He said the suspect got out of the car, then reached in and shot the teen several times.
“The driver, the witness, sped away from the location at a high rate of speed to get out of there obviously,” Salazar said. “She later lost control and wrecked into that fence at 7500 Paradise.”
The teen was taken by a family member to Northeast Methodist Hospital. Salazar said he is now out of the hospital.
Salazar said safe exchange zones at the two BCSO substations and six SAPD substations are available for anyone to use. He said the substations at 6825 Cagnon Road and 8794 East Loop 1604 North have two spots dedicated for exchanges.
“There are actually cameras and they are well lit,” Salazar said. “We would ask that if anybody’s got an online sale they need to make in the area of Cagnon Road or East Loop 1604 where our substation is on the back side of Randolph Air Force Base, feel free to come use our substation. You don’t have to come in. Just make the arrangements to meet the other party there at the substation.”
“We just want you to be safe and sound as you conduct your online transactions.”
SAPD Substations are located at:
- Central Substation: 515 S. Frio
- East Substation: 3635 E. Houston
- North Substation: 13030 Jones Maltsberger Rd.
- Prue Substation: 5020 Prue Rd.
- South Substation: 711 W. Mayfield Blvd.
- West Substation: 7000 Culebra Rd.