SAN ANTONIO — It's a complicated case involving lots of bullets flying around southwest San Antonio.
On Wednesday, both Police Chief William McManus and Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar announced multiple arrests in a series of violent August incidents. They say shell casings, ballistic technology and a confession enabled them to link guns and suspects in several shooting attacks, including two incidents at a security gate at the JBSA-Lackland Chapman Training Annex.
Investigators said cooperation between San Antonio Police Department, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office and Texas Department of Public Safety, as well as the federal FBI and ATF agencies, led to the breakthrough.
"This has been a collaborative effort, and closing this case would not have been possible without their work," McManus said.
The police chief said when they began looking into the JBSA-Lackland attack, they used technology to link evidence to other cases.
"We were able to collect shell casings from those shootings," McManus said, adding they also developed information linking a vehicle seen in the area of the attack to one stolen in Bexar County in the early hours of the same morning.
McManus said that vehicle was later found abandoned. Evidence they found linked the vehicle to 19-year-old Joseph Jimenez, who was connected to a deadly conduct incident in the county.
"Video evidence was collected showing Jimenez was in fact the same suspect," McManus said.
As the investigation continued, McManus said, search warrants were conducted at two locations on Aug. 28, on Forest Valley Drive and Marbach Road, in connection to a shooting in which Ricardo Samaniego was hit by a bullet that had been accidentally fired the same day as the JBSA attack.
McManus said there is video evidence showing Jimenez and Samaniego together in that stolen vehicle, firing multiple rounds into the direction of multiple houses in a field around the area. That evidence led to detectives obtaining warrants for deadly conduct firearm for both men, McManus said, adding they are both in custody now.
"More state and federal charges may be pending," he added.
Praising the joint effort, Salazar said it's "absolutely always a great day when law enforcement partners across the spectrum – federal, state and local – can all work together to get bad guys off the street."
"I thank the Lord every day for having partners like this out there helping us protect our community," the sheriff added.
Salazar said BCSO became involved in the investigation later in the evening, after the JBSA attack, when deputies responded to a call for an accidental shooting on Marbach Oaks Road.
"It was actually during a child's birthday party," Salazar said. "It looks like several suspects were playing with a gun, when that gun with a switch went off. Joseph Jimenez is actually who we believe was firing that weapon negligently."
Salazar said Samaniego was holding an infant when he was struck by a bullet in the abdomen.
"Thank God that infant was not injured as a result of this negligent shooting," Salazar added.
Salazar said Jimenez and Elijah Martinez left the location with the weapon. When deputies showed up, Samaniego indicated he did not want to pursue charges.
Just hours later and eight miles away at 6480 Military Drive, there was another shooting reported, Salazar said.
"Shots were fired near military dorms. I believe naval dorms, in this instance."
No injuries or damage was reported, Salazar said, but he added that if anyone has information about the incident, which may be related, they should call the BCSO tips line at 210-335-6000.
"We are looking for leads that anyone might offer," Salazar said.
Salazar said deputies made a breakthrough Aug. 21 using NIBIN, the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, linking shell casings from the JBSA and Marbach Oaks attacks.
When a search warrant was executed in the 200 block of Forest Valley, the sheriff went on to say, Jimenez was arrested and a 50-round magazine was seized during the search of a related home.
At that point, Salazar said, Jimenez admitted to the accidental shooting of Samaniego and to being involved in the JBSA attack.
Authorities said they located Martinez and arrested him. Weapons and substances were found during a search, but Martinez initially denied involvement in any of the shootings.
The weapon used in both shootings, Salazar said, was recovered in a nearby storage unit.
"To recap," Salazar said, "Joseph Jimenez, 19 years of age, was arrested for deadly conduct and he is awaiting federal indictment for the illegal switch found on the recovered gun, while Elijah Martinez, 19 years old, was arrested for endangering a child."
Online records indicate Samaniego was released from jail shortly after his arrest on two counts of deadly conduct with bonds set at $30,000 total.
Elijah Martinez, whom jail records indicate was arrested on Aug. 28, posted his $35,000 bond for child endangerment and was released from custody two days later. Online records indicate he has a GPS monitor and has been ordered to remain on full house arrest and to not possess any firearms.
Meanwhile, Jimenez is facing three counts of deadly conduct and one property theft charge, and remains jailed. His bonds total more than $300,00 and include conditions for full house arrest and a prohibition against possessing firearms.