A San Antonio officer was wounded, two children escaped injury and investigators are reviewing prior domestic violence allegations.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — A man shot his way into a Stone Oak home Friday, killed his estranged wife, wounded a San Antonio police officer and then died by suicide after a standoff, police said.
The shooting brought a large law enforcement response to the 100 block of Red Hawk Ridge near Hardy Oak Boulevard. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the case began as a domestic violence call and turned into a barricade that lasted for hours. Two children were inside the home but were not physically injured, police said. The wounded officer was taken to a hospital for surgery and was later reported to be recovering from injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Authorities identified the suspected gunman as Albert Nixon Richter IV. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his death a suicide. The woman killed was identified as Brianna Nicole Richter, and her death was ruled a homicide. Officers were called to the home around midday Friday after reports of a disturbance involving a firearm. McManus said the man forced his way into the home through a glass door while carrying a handgun. “He gets inside, kills his estranged or soon-to-be estranged wife, and barricades himself in one of the rooms,” McManus said during a briefing near the scene.
The home sits in a residential part of north San Antonio near Hardy Oak Elementary School and Lopez Middle School. Police said the man did not appear to live at the residence. After officers arrived, the suspect fired at least one shot that struck a responding officer below his protective vest and above his belt, McManus said. The officer, described by police as a seven-year department veteran, was rushed to a hospital. McManus said no vital organs were struck. Police did not immediately release the officer’s name. The department said the officer underwent surgery and was recovering.
Two children were inside the house during the standoff. Officials first described them as being about 10 and 12 years old, while later reporting placed their ages between 8 and 12. Police said they were safely removed from the home. Neighbor Randall Ashmore said he saw officers escorting the children away from the house as the scene unfolded. Ashmore said an officer appeared to shield the children while moving them out. “He had both of them pretty much bear-hugged, and he was covering them,” Ashmore said. Police have not said whether the suspect was the children’s father.
Officers, SWAT members and negotiators surrounded the home as the barricade continued. Police used a loudspeaker to try to communicate with the suspect and later used tear gas in an effort to force him out, officials said. Around 3 p.m., officers entered the home and found Albert Richter and Brianna Richter dead from gunshot wounds. Investigators recovered a pistol inside the residence. McManus said police were also looking into whether the suspect had any gang ties. Officials did not immediately describe what led up to the shooting or whether anyone else had been threatened before police arrived.
Records cited in local reports showed prior domestic violence allegations involving the couple. Newly reported details from arrest records said Albert Richter had been accused in April of choking, hitting and pointing a gun at Brianna Richter. Police initially said they did not find a history of domestic violence calls involving the suspect in Bexar County, but later reporting pointed to prior arrest warrants and affidavits tied to earlier assault allegations. The status of those cases was not immediately clear. No charges will be filed against Albert Richter in Brianna Richter’s death because he died at the scene.
The shooting marked the second time that week that a San Antonio police officer had been shot. On Tuesday, another officer was wounded on the North Side while officers were trying to serve a warrant, police said. In Friday’s case, the officer-involved shooting response brought patrol units, tactical officers, negotiators and emergency medical crews into the Stone Oak neighborhood. Residents nearby were evacuated from some homes as police worked to secure the area. Investigators remained at the scene after the bodies were found, collecting evidence and reviewing how the standoff began.
Marta Parda Pelaez, president and CEO of Family Violence Prevention Services, said domestic violence cases can grow more dangerous when control, separation and weapons are involved. “Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of progressive power and control behaviors,” Parda Pelaez said. She said children who witness violence can face lasting emotional harm. Police did not release details about where the children were taken after the standoff. Officials said they were physically OK, but did not give further information about their care or family placement.
The investigation remains open with San Antonio police and the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office. As of Monday, June 22, police had identified both adults, confirmed the officer was recovering and said the next steps include reviewing evidence from the home, prior records and officer reports from the response.
Author note: Last updated June 22, 2026.