SAN ANTONIO — The latest – and so far, most prominent – person to direct criticism at Bexar County's chief prosecutor over a pattern of dangerous criminal offenders being rereleased from San Antonio's courts is U.S. Rep. Chip Roy.
The Republican, whose U.S. House District 21 includes a substantial part of the north side, shared a letter he sent to Gonzales on Thursday, after a stretch that saw several Alamo City police officers shot by individuals with violent criminal histories.
"As you know, recently a repeat criminal who was released from jail on bail fired upon and injured three San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) officers," his letter begins. "This tragedy is neither acceptable nor unforeseeable, and is a direct consequence of lax bail policies that threaten the safety of Bexar County residents and our law enforcement officers."
The events of the last eight days, including a dangerous August 24 pursuit of a wanted felon who shot two SAPD officers in different locations on the west side, have spurred frustration from the local police chief and the head of the San Antonio police union—the latter told KENS 5 on Thursday he wouldn't support Gonzales for re-election were it held today.
Roy's letter goes on to cite Wednesday's separate shootings – both of which ended in suspects being killed by police – before asking nearly a dozen questions of the DA regarding his office's policies, collaborations with judges and efforts "to ensure violent, career criminals are not benefitting from lenient bond policies."
"It should be your top priority as district attorney to direct your prosecutors to push for appropriate bongs, or recommend no bail at all, for public safety risks like Garcia," Roy's letter states, citing the felon who police say shot SAPD Officers Rhett Shoquistt and Raul Chavez, and injured another, when they were trying to apprehend him.
The letter ends by suggesting Roy could hold support for grants or other federal resources if Gonzales doesn't reply to him about "the intentions of your office."
Gonzales spoke with news media Wednesday afternoon, responding to SAPD Chief William McManus' concerns about violent offenders being released by saying lack of victims or witness participation makes it difficult to prosecute cases.
"We couldn't locate witnesses, we couldn't locate victims," Gonzales said. "And when we did, they said, 'Sorry, I'm not interested.'"
Last week, discussing Garcia's history of run-ins with the law, an assistant of Gonzales' said it's essentially up to the judge, not prosecutors, whether or not to recommend a suspect be held without bail. Even then, First Assistant District Attorney Christian Henricksen said, there are "very limited circumstances in which a judge can remand somebody without bail."
The two officers hurt in Wednesday's separate incidents, one of whom police said accidentally shot himself, remain hospitalized.
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