Twitter Miguel Moreno.
Miguel Moreno was identified as the San Antonio police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty in a double shooting of police officers.
The shooting occurred on June 29, and the police chief, William McManus, initially said in a news conference that both officers were in “very critical condition” at an area hospital. The second officer, Julio Cavazos, is now expected to survive but, tragically, police announced on June 30 that Moreno had died from his wounds.
A second suspect was also taken into custody, but he’s not believed to have fired at the officers. The suspect who fired was in his early 30s and is now dead, the chief said. The shooter has not yet been identified.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Officers Were Shot ‘As Soon As They Got Out of the Car’
Watch live coverage from north of downtown San Antonio where two police officers and a suspect have been shot here:
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In a news conference, the police chief said that the officers were on a directed patrol mission.
They went to stop two individuals. “Both officers got out of the car and as soon as they got out of the car, the one person opened fire on both of them,” the police chief said in a news conference a short time after the shootings.
“It’s not a good feeling to know that two of your officers were shot,” the police chief said. “…Nothing to indicate why the guy would have opened up on the officers.”
The chief said the officers were “investigating a suspicious person” and, when they exited the vehicle, one of the two suspects “pulled out a gun and opened fire.”
“There was a call for a suspicious person. These officers came across these individuals and decided to do a field contact,” said the chief.
2. Moreno Was Struck in the Head & Cavazos Was Shot in the Chin
The officers were clinging to life after the shooting, fighting for their survival, according to the police chief.
As the night unfolded, the condition of one of the two officers improved, but Moreno, who was shot in the head, was in “grave, grave condition,” the police chief said in a later news conference.
“The other officer is expected to survive although he is in serious condition. Families are in the hospital right now,” said the chief. Sadly, it was then announced that Moreno had died.
The chief said that Moreno was struck in the head area, and in the face. The other officer, Julio Cavazos, was struck in the chin, with the bullet lodging in his upper torso. He was wearing body armor.
3. Cavazos Pulled His Colleague to Safety & Shot the Suspect
A gun battle ensued, as Cavazos returned the suspect’s fire. The suspect died, the police chief said. The chief said that the suspect “attempted to flee, was shot in the buttocks, and suffered a head wound that may have been self-inflicted.”
He said that the police were waiting for an autopsy before identifying the suspect who had opened fire.
Moreno “went down by the driver’s door, and Cavazos pulled him from the line of fire and then returned fire after being shot in the chin,” said the chief.
He added: “the only thing these officers were going to do was conduct a field contact.”
According to the police chief, the suspect was struck and “went down” and was taken to the hospital.
4. A Nearby College Went Into Lock Down
BREAKING: 2 San Antonio police officers critically wounded in shootout: t.co/UfxijxhwgI #KAKEnews
San Antonio College, located not far from the shooting, went into lockdown. Students received an alert that read, “EMERGENCY! Armed person on (PAC, SAC, SPC, NVC, NLC) campus. Go to nearest room and lock door. If off campus, stay away. Follow instructions from authorities.”
However, the police chief said the incident was over quickly.
“It happened so fast. One suspect was down, and one was in custody immediately.”
The officers were conducting a pedestrian stop at the time of the shooting. It wasn’t a traffic stop, the chief said. “They were on directed patrol for street crimes occurring in the area,” according to the chief.
5. People Offered Prayers for the Wounded Officers on Social Media
Two police officers injured in San Antonio shooting t.co/ReFGMoPhYF
People filled social media with prayers for the wounded officers’ recovery. Both officers are nine-year veterans of the force, according to the chief.
“Pray for those officers and their families,” the chief said, adding that the shooting was a “grim reminder” of the dangers that police officers face.