SAN ANTONIO – Seven officers were wounded, and a man is dead after a shooting on the North Side, according to San Antonio police.
Officers were called for a suicide just before 8 p.m. Wednesday at an apartment complex in the 18700 block of Stone Oak Parkway.
>> What we know about Brandon Poulos, the man accused of shooting 7 SAPD officers in Stone Oak
Police identified the suspect Thursday morning as Brandon Scott Poulos, 46, a Navy veteran who was out on bond at the time of the shooting.
Last updated at 7:50 p.m. Jan. 23.
Sources: Poulos died after he was shot by SAPD SWAT team
Poulos, the 46-year-old Stone Oak shooter, died after he was shot by San Antonio Police Department’s SWAT team, two sources confirmed to KSAT on Thursday night.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine Poulos’ official cause of death.
The sources also told KSAT that SAPD’s SWAT unit deployed drones and tear gas during the standoff.
Poulos shot down some of those drones, the sources said.
Here’s what we know about the standoff between the suspect and officers:
During a news conference just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, SAPD Chief William McManus initially said four officers were shot in response to a suicide in progress call from a family member.
Hours later, the number of officers shot had risen to seven, McManus said in an early morning news conference on Thursday.
Officers shot at the scene
According to McManus, the first officer to arrive at the scene was shot in the leg.
A second officer also arrived and was shot. Subsequently, a third and fourth officer arrived and were shot after getting to the scene, according to police.
>> State, local lawmakers react to North Side shooting that injured 7 SAPD officers
The fourth officer sustained a gunshot wound to the upper body, SAPD said.
All seven officers received non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to make a full recovery, the department said Thursday.
McManus said the officers each have between four and eight years of service with the department. The officers will be placed on administrative duty until further notice.
McManus, in an early Thursday morning update, did not specify when the incident concluded. He said officers discovered Poulos dead in an apartment.
It remains unclear whether Poulos died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds or SAPD gunfire.
San Antonio Police Officers’ Association President Danny Diaz told KSAT on Thursday night he believes the seven injured officers were “ambushed.”
The SAPD Shooting Team and the Internal Affairs Unit will conduct separate but concurrent investigations. Their findings will be sent to the Bexar County District Attorney’s office for an independent review.
Chief McManus providing an update to the Officer Involved Shooting that occurred at the 18700 block of Stone Oak Parkway.
Posted byon Thursday, January 23, 2025
6 officers headed home
San Antonio police on Thursday afternoon shared on Instagram that six of the seven officers injured by gunfire are headed home from the hospital.
Only one officer is still recovering at the hospital but is expected to fully recover.
Navy veteran identified as suspected gunman
Police identified Poulos as the suspect on Thursday morning. A service record obtained by KSAT shows Poulos served in the Navy for 10 years.
Court records show Poulos was arrested on Saturday, Jan. 18 after a call for an assault in progress.
According to a preliminary report obtained by KSAT Investigates, three relatives told officers that Poulos arrived at the location and was intoxicated.
There was an argument that escalated into a physical confrontation.
Poulos left the location in a vehicle but later crashed, police said. He was taken into custody.
His charges included assault causing bodily injury family member; two counts of injury to an elderly person with intent to cause bodily injury; and one count of DWI-2nd offense, records show.
Poulos was released on bonds totaling $35,000 the following day.
He was ordered by a judge not to possess or use firearms, according to court records.
Poulos was referred to veterans court, and a mental health assessment was ordered, according to court records.
Residents’ experience
A Stone Oak resident told KSAT that he heard a big bang while studying in his apartment but initially dismissed the noise.
“My mom, she lives with me, so she told me to come outside (to) the balcony,” the resident said. “She heard all these noises. Sure enough, there’s (sic) like helicopters flying everywhere.”
The resident told KSAT he later heard several gunshots.
“It was two or three,” the resident said. “I was, like, ‘Hey mom, those are gunshots.’ I looked over to the hallway, and sure enough, I saw one of the SAPD officers was (sic) on the ground, and he had been shot. It looked like he got shot in the upper thigh because they were putting a tourniquet on him.”
Only some residents of the apartment complex were evacuated during the standoff. Many had been returned to their units, according to another resident.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, call 988 or text TALK to 741-741.
You can also reach out to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) or the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) at 800-950-NAMI (6264) or 800-316-9241. You can also text NAMI to 741-741.
