The dispute on Gazel Drive left a woman dead, a man hospitalized and a suspect in custody, police said.
SAN ANTONIO, TX — A woman was shot and killed and a man was wounded Sunday afternoon after a backyard argument between two brothers turned violent at a North Side home, San Antonio police said. The shooting was reported just before 4 p.m. in the 200 block of Gazel Drive.
Police said the case appears to be a domestic dispute that escalated quickly, drawing a heavy response to the neighborhood near Vance Jackson Road and I-10. Investigators detained one brother at the scene and questioned his wife, described as the only eyewitness. Detectives said the man who was shot is the detained brother’s sibling, and the woman who died was the sibling’s girlfriend. Officials said the suspect faces a murder charge and an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge as the investigation continues.
Officers said the brothers began arguing in the backyard of the single-family home shortly before 4 p.m. A department spokesperson said the suspect told police he saw his brother “reaching for something,” then drew a handgun and opened fire, striking his brother multiple times and hitting the brother’s girlfriend. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The wounded man was taken to a hospital; police described his injuries as serious. “There has been a history of them fighting each other,” said San Antonio police spokesperson Sharavious Jackson, noting prior family violence issues between the two men.
Police identified the suspected shooter as 25-year-old Jose Vega. They said the man who was wounded is Vega’s 32-year-old brother, and the woman who died was the brother’s 22-year-old girlfriend. Officers said Vega’s wife was present during the argument but was not hurt; she was taken to police headquarters for an interview. Detectives said they are still working to determine where each person was standing in the yard when the shots were fired and how many rounds were discharged. They said it remains unknown whether alcohol or drugs played a role. Officers also reported shooting and killing a dog that jumped at them as they entered the backyard during their response.
Records and police statements indicate the brothers have a documented history of family violence. Investigators emphasized that the Sunday shooting unfolded in a backyard setting, not in the street, and involved relatives who had argued before. The home sits off Gazel Drive on the city’s North Side, a residential area near Vance Jackson Road and Interstate 10. Neighbors told officers they heard several shots in quick succession in the late afternoon. Officials said the woman died at the scene despite first-aid efforts; authorities did not release her name pending notification of relatives.
By early evening, detectives said Vega would be booked on a count of murder in the woman’s death and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in his brother’s shooting. Additional charges could follow once ballistic tests, interviews and scene processing are complete, police said. The wounded brother remained hospitalized Monday. Police said they expect to review the case with prosecutors after collecting statements, securing any video, and receiving preliminary results from crime lab analysis. No court hearing had been set as of Monday morning.
Investigators remained on Gazel Drive for hours, photographing the yard, marking casings and interviewing residents who gathered at the edge of the police tape. Cruiser lights flickered against fences as officers moved in and out of the home. A neighbor who declined to give his full name said he heard “four or five pops” around 3:55 p.m. and saw officers rushing into the backyard minutes later. “I just hope the guy in the hospital makes it,” he said. Jackson said the department’s shooting team will also review the officer-involved shooting of the dog, which is standard procedure when officers discharge their weapons.
As of Monday, police said the investigation is ongoing. Detectives are waiting on formal identification from the medical examiner and additional statements from family members. The department said an update on charges and the hospitalized man’s condition is expected later this week after evidence is processed.
Author note: Last updated December 8, 2025.