SAN ANTONIO — On Tuesday morning a crowd of parents walked their children to school at Washington Elementary, just a few hours after someone sprayed a nearby corner with about a dozen gunshots.
The attack was one of three separate shootings in the last few days in a tight east side neighborhood.
The latest was in the 500 block of Blaine at the corner of Lockhart, where several cars were pierced with bullets.
Hours earlier, an 18-year-old man was killed in what police believe was an accidental gun discharge in the 200 block of Blue Bonnet.
On Saturday there was another shooting just a few blocks away, at the corner of North New Braunfels Avenue and Nolan Street.
Neighbors said they have had enough of being on edge. Dino Lopez said he heard two of the incidents from inside his own home.
“There's been, in the last 72 hours, three shootings...right here in this area," he said.
One worried mother walking her child to school said she didn’t want her name to be used, but said police should be able to bring the shootings under control.
"It's the same people. The cops stop them and they talk to them and they know them by name," the mom said.
The woman, who said she is a long-time resident, said she knows police point to the fact that many of the alleged shooters and victims know each other.
“They said it's targeted shootings, so they're trying to get them to take each other out. It's just not right, because basically what they're saying is, 'Let them take each other out and make our job a lot easier,'” the mom said, adding she is frustrated when she sees police fail to act.
“They sit back in their trucks and the drug dealers go and talk to them in their trucks, you know, and they know them by name! It's like they're friends. It's crazy. It's not good,” the mom said.
A man who would not give his name said his car took at least seven bullets in the attack on Blaine.
He said he now has to come up with funds to replace two flattened tires and a shattered rear windshield, as well as body damage to the car throughout.
“They should put some more security," Lopez said while surveying the damage. "Some more police to stop all them crimes and everything.”
On the 200 block of Blue Bonnet, family members say 18-year-old Jose Angel Gil died when a gun misfired overnight. The preliminary report of the incident indicates conflicting stories were being told about what exactly happened.
But a family friend Lopez said the family is now struggling with funeral expenses. You can support the family by clicking here.
Angel’s father, Felix, said he is still trying to recover from his wife’s unexpected death just before Mother’s Day.
“It takes the community's help in addressing these problems," said SAPD's Sgt. Michelle Ramos.
Ramos said she hoped neighbors would get involved in solving these crimes.
“Trust us enough to give us that information so we can do our job," she said. "What we don't want is we don't want these shootings to continue. We don't want innocent people to be shot. We want people to work with us.”
Ramos encouraged anyone with clues to reach out.
“I'm sure there are witnesses out there that witnessed these events, and all we're asking is anybody with information to please provide that information to either our homicide unit or our SAFFE Officers or they can call Crime Stoppers and remain anonymous.”
To report east side crime and reduce the number of violent shooting incidents, San Antonio Police recommend calling the following numbers:
- SAPD East SAFFE, (210)207-7566
- SAPD Homicide Division, (210)207-7635
- Crime Stoppers, (210)224-STOP