SAN ANTONIO — Two men are dead and a police officer was injured after a traffic stop turned violent on the city's west side Friday.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus described the incident, which took place in the 2400 block of Pinn Rd. as a "routine traffic stop which turned out to be not so routine after all."
According to McManus, the officer was by himself when he walked up to the truck, occupied by a driver and two passengers. The chief said he viewed video that showed the officer and the driver having a casual conversation for a few minutes.
"There was no excited motioning with the hands or anything like that," McManus said. "It was a very casual conversation from its appearance."
The chief said at some point, the driver pulled a gun and started firing at the officer, striking him in the hand and his radio. The officer then returned gunfire as he retreated back to his vehicle. The driver and a passenger were killed in the exchange.
The third occupant was struck in the upper torso and was transported to the hospital in serious condition. The officer was also hospitalized, and is said to be in good condition. McManus said he was "very, very lucky to be alive at that close range, having been shot in the hand and not somewhere else more vital."
McManus said the two victims were both males in their mid-20s. They have not been identified, nor did the chief identify the officer involved. McManus said he did not know why the officer had conducted the traffic stop.