SAN ANTONIO — An early-morning shootout involving police on the west side of town ended when an officer's bullet hit the suspect.
San Antonio Police responded to the 6900 block of Timbercreek Drive, near West Military Drive, around 2 a.m. where authorities say 43-year-old Jose Vazquez, a former Bexar County sheriff's deputy, was shooting multiple rounds from inside his first-floor apartment. SAPD Chief William McManus said some of the rounds were going through walls, scaring neighbors.
Vazquez allegedly opened fire upon officers as they were arriving, even hitting an SAPD patrol car. Officers then retreated, blocking off the area and calling for SWAT negotiators to take over.
Apartments close to the incident were evacuated as a precaution, but nobody was hit by stray bullets.
Police say Vazquez and law enforcement continued exchanging gunfire. At some point, Officer Jesse Noriega was able to shoot from a distance and graze Vazquez in the head, ending the standoff. He was able to walk out on his own, so McManus said he didn't believe his injuries were "that serious." He was taken to the hospital to be treated.
"The officers did what they had to do," said McManus. "This was a dangerous situation with a lot of rounds being fired in an area that was populated with a lot of people."
McManus said Vazquez has a history of mental illness. He was with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office from April 2007 to August 2011, when he was arrested on official oppression charges and dishonorably discharged. The charge was later dismissed.
Officers were able to recover several guns from inside his apartment Tuesday. He was arrested on charges of aggravated assault against a public servant and deadly conduct, and remains jailed on bonds totaling $300,000.
Noriega has been with SAPD for 23 years and is now on administrative duty, per department protocols.
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