SAN ANTONIO — Dolores Tapia said her boyfriend Jacob String was the 27-year-old man shot and killed by San Antonio police who were attempting to execute an arrest warrant on Monday. Tapia had just returned from work when she learned what occurred at the back of the apartment building on the southeast side where she and String lived.
Tapia, who will remember String as a “goofy, nerdy dude,” said she was aware of his criminal past. She noted he was out on parole.
“It hurts because I was trying to push him to get better. I was trying to help him see there is more to life than what everyone always assumes everyone who’s been to jail would become,” Tapia said.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus explained during a Monday evening press conference how events unfolded as officers were tracking the suspect, who was wanted for robberies that happened on Sunday and Monday.
“On the way here, it appears that he (suspect) may have shot at the officers and also appears that he may have shot at the officers behind this apartment building back here,” McManus said. “He should have been in jail in my opinion. If you’re a violent offender you need to be jail.”
SAPD released another statement on Tuesday:
"After further investigation, while the suspect did draw a gun from his waistband and point it toward the officers, the suspect did not fire any rounds."
KENS 5 asked Mayor Ron Nirenberg Tuesday morning about his thoughts on the latest scourge of violent crime involving police officers.
“Issues related to the bond process have been long in dispute at the state legislature and here at the local level and those issues continue to brew and create challenges so hopefully leaders in the legislature as well as our own community to better ensure that violent offenders are not on the streets,” Nirenberg said.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales has addressed concerns about repeat violent offenders being released from jail. He noted thorough police investigations need to include credible evidence such as victim and witness statements. Not having such information can potentially lead to dismissed cases.