A parking lot in Texas became the scene of a deadly gunfight when a man tracked down his stolen vehicle to a nearby mall. The confrontation resulted in the alleged thief being shot and killed, while the vehicle owner was also injured. The incident unfolded at the South Park Mall in San Antonio on Thursday afternoon. The stolen Ford truck was located in another parking lot at the mall, occupied by a male and a female. The vehicle owner held the suspects at gunpoint, but the situation escalated when the thief pulled out a handgun and shot the owner. Both suspects were struck by gunfire before the male thief was pronounced dead at the scene.
The owners of the stolen vehicle arrived at the parking lot behind the South Park Mall, where they had tracked down their missing truck. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus revealed that the vehicle was occupied by a man and a woman. The vehicle owner, whose name was not disclosed, held the suspects at gunpoint and instructed the driver to sit by one of the tires while waiting for the police to arrive.
The situation took a tragic turn when the thief produced a weapon from his waistband and shot the owner of the stolen vehicle. In self-defense, the owner returned fire, striking both suspects. The male thief succumbed to his injuries at the scene, while the owner and the female suspect were transported to a local hospital. The owner is in stable condition, while the woman is listed as critical.
Authorities did not disclose how the stolen truck was tracked down but deemed the shooting as a case of self-defense. Chief McManus emphasized that the owner had the right to search for his stolen property, although he encouraged individuals to contact the police before taking matters into their own hands. Photos from the scene showed the female suspect receiving assistance from a police officer and another woman, with blood visible on her leg.
The brother of the deceased thief, Jose Garcia, questioned the car owner’s supposed right to pursue and kill his brother. Garcia referred to the shooter as a vigilante and urged people to wait for the police. He expressed his belief that no vehicle is worth taking someone’s life and criticized the shooter for taking the law into his own hands.