Posted on 03/20/2026 1:38:57 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
A man fatally shot himself in the head while handcuffed in the back of a San Antonio police vehicle following a pursuit, Police Chief William McManus told reporters Thursday.
On Friday morning, the San Antonio Police Department told the Express-News that the officers have been placed on administrative leave until further notice. The officers have been with the department for four and five years
Police said the incident began around 2 p.m. on the South Side when officers identified a driver riding in a car with mismatched tags. The man then drove to the North Side, where SAPD’s Eagle helicopter followed him.
The man pulled into a Circle K gas station at the intersection of East Rampart and McCullough Avenue near North Star Mall, where he attempted to run from officers. He was then captured, handcuffed, and put into the back of the police car.
"At some point, shortly thereafter, he shot himself in the head....Nobody heard the gunshot," McManus said, adding that the two responding officers were talking outside of the car when the shooting happened.
Officers attempted to save the man's life but were unsuccessful. He later died at the gas station.
The man, who has not been identified, had two active felony warrants before his death, police said.
McManus said the man was still cuffed at the time of the shooting and that they have no idea how that happened. He declined to answer further questions regarding the man having the gun in his possession.
“Don’t ask me where it was or how he got to it...I don’t know yet,” McManus emphasized.
The investigation remains ongoing. This is the first in-custody death involving SAPD in 2026.
I watch entirely too much bodycam video on YT and they usually tell the suspect at the time of the initial pat-down, “Do you have anything on you? If you do and you don’t tell us and they find it at the station, it will be an additional charge.”
His family won’t miss him but they’ll cash out.
The arresting officer is completely responsible for the safety of the detainee.
Which is why the cop is now on leave.
“My friend found himself handcuffed to the booking bench in a Texas police station and trying to figure out how to tell them that he still had a pistol on him, he said that he felt very uncomfortable with the situation.”
He should have told them earlier.
“officers right outside the car didn’t hear the shot. “
Nope.
That should also be true of state officials running prisons.
Any rape or murder that happens under their custody, they should be named as accessories.
I recently found myself in this exact situation. I decided to tell them by retrieving my pistol while handcuffed, and waved the weapon around, while yelling "He's got a gun!!! He's got a gun!!!"
The hospital doctors said I'm recovering nicely, and except for the colostomy bag, I should suffer no permanent effects.
“Butterfingers Irving gunned himself down.”
The 142nd Fastest Gun.....In The West!
“Pretty please, with sugar on top...”
Your plausible theory sorta falls apart when in fact there was no robbery.
My wife is addicted to police bodycam videos, and she showed me one where they missed a gun hidden in the PANTIES of a 5’ 2” woman they had already frisked!
Fourth possibility: Someone that knew him came up alongside the car and shot him with a suppressed subsonic 22lr? I dunno man, but I wouldn’t rule out at least someone besides the cops shooting the guy.
I read it.
Common sense would tell someone reading the sentence that the suspect was in the back of the patrol vehicle.
It does not sway he shot himself in the back of his head while in the back of a patrol vehicle.
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