April 28, 2023 Body camera footage captured two violent shootouts with the San Antonio Police Department, including a sprawling gun battle between officers and a shooting suspect with a long rifle.
By Taylor Pettaway Source San Antonio Express-News Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The San Antonio Police Department released two videos of officer-involved shootings that occurred on consecutive days last month.
The first video shows officers’ fatal encounter with 34-year-old Paul Palafox on March 28.
SAPD officers were called to the 2000 block of Essex Street just after 2 p.m. for reports of a shooting at a car wash in the area. Witnesses said Palafox was arguing with a 66-year-old man over money when he pulled out a gun and shot the man. Police tracked Palafox to his home in the 1300 block of South Mesquite Street.
The video, taken from the responding officer’s body camera, shows the officer step out of his vehicle when he arrives at Palafox’s residence and quickly withdraw his gun saying, “Don’t reach for anything man. Don’t do it.”
As the officer comes around to the front of the vehicle with his gun drawn, he repeats several times: “Don’t do it, don’t.”
Palafox, meanwhile, is not seen in the video as the officer stays behind his patrol car.
About a minute into the video, the officer yells “hey, hey” as nearly two dozen shots can be heard. The officer falls to the ground briefly but gets up and starts running for cover toward a building behind him.
Shots continue to ring out as officers scatter, and the responding officer can be heard yelling: “He’s got an AR.” SAPD officials said some officers returned fire as they retreated toward cover.
SAPD Lt. Michelle Ramos said Palafox shot from inside the house before he walked outside to continue engaging with officers. Footage from a police drone shows Palafox pacing between two vehicles with a long rifle in his hands.
A second officer’s camera shows him shoot once toward Palafox from behind a structure across the street, hitting the suspect. Palafox was taken to a hospital, where he died on March 31.
No other injuries were reported.
The police involved are identified as officers Christian Valadez and Luis Torres, and detectives Regino Segura and James Van Kirk. They have four to 20 years of service and have been placed on administrative duty until further notice. It is unclear whose body camera footage was shown.
Ramos said investigations into deadly force are comprehensive and can take over a year.
The second officer-involved shooting occurred less than 24 hours later in the 1000 block of Gillette Boulevard.
Two SAPD officers were called to Arnold Park about 12:45 p.m. for reports of a shooting in progress. When they arrived, witnesses directed the officers to 26-year-old Raul Arzola, who was sitting on a bench in the park.
The 9-1-1 caller described Arzola, saying he was shooting a gun in the park.
The video shows the two officers approach Arzola with their guns drawn, demanding to see his hands. Instead, Arzola put a black gun to his head and then pointed it at the officers.
Almost immediately, Arzola fired one shot as the officers started to approach him. More than a dozen shots can be heard in the video as the two officers return fire and Arzola starts to run through the park with the gun in his hand.
The body camera footage shows the officer empty his gun as he fires at Arzola.
Arzola was captured nearby. He was shot several times and was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Arzola was charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a public servant and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for firing toward civilians in the park.
Per protocol, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing both incidents.