SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio and South Texas made international news multiple times in 2022.
There was the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, the largest mass casualty event in San Antonio history, a shooting involving an SAPD officer and a teenager that’s garnered national attention, rumbles from an earthquake that was the third largest recorded in the state, and more.
Before we turn the page to 2023, let’s take a look back at all that’s happened this year, based on some of the most-read stories on KSAT.com.
January
Texas brothers beat stepfather to death for sexually abusing their sister, reports say
From Left: Alejandro Trevino, Christian Trevino, Juan Eduardo Melendez (Hidalgo County Court Records)
Two brothers were taken to the Hidalgo County Jail after beating their stepfather to death for sexually abusing their younger sister.
Alejandro Trevino, 18, and Christian Trevino, 17, and family friend Juan Eduardo Melendez, 18, are accused of beating up Gabriel Quintanilla, 42, leading to his death.
Quintanilla’s remains were discovered by a local farmer in a field in McAllen on Thursday, Jan. 20. Reports claim he had apparent severe blunt force trauma to his head.
Christian was charged with aggravated assault, murder and engaging in organized criminal activity. Alejandro was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and aggravated assault.
Alejandro wasn’t charged with murder because police said Christian and Melendez fatally struck Quintanilla.
Melendez was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of marijuana.
Other top headlines from this month:
April
Texas teen goes to restroom at NBA arena. Police find her 10 days later in Oklahoma hotel sold for sex
(Ashley Landis /The Dallas Morning News via AP) (THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS)
A Texas family’s worst nightmare unfolded at an NBA arena in Dallas earlier this year when a 15-year-old girl went to use a restroom but never made it back to her seat.
She was found a week and a half later being sold for sex in a hotel more than 200 miles away.
The incident happened April 8, when the teen went to a Dallas Mavericks game with her father at the American Airlines Center, according to a report from KVUE.
She went to the restroom before halftime, but never returned to her seat. Surveillance footage showed her leaving with a man that night.
Her parents notified police at the game that their daughter was missing.
The teen was found April 18 by police in a hotel room in Oklahoma City, after her parents identified her through nude photos that were shared online in sex advertisements.
According to their family attorney, Zeke Fortenberry, before the teen was found, her father was told to notify North Richland Hills police, where he lives.
However, that police department said it couldn’t help in the search because the incident happened in Dallas.
Search efforts continued by NRHPD and Dallas PD, but the investigation took a turn after a Houston-based human trafficking agency, Texas Counter-Trafficking Initiative, was able to use their face-recognition technology to help bring her home safely, according to Fortenberry.
The agency then contacted Oklahoma City Police, who found the missing teen and arrested eight people in connection with the case.
Other top headlines from this month:
May
Uvalde school shooting: Latest details on Robb Elementary shooting that killed 19 children, 2 teachers
A memorial for the 19 children and two teachers killed in the May shooting sits outside of Robb Elementary on the first day of early voting, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. (AP Photo/Acacia Coronado)
It’s a story we’ve been following all year long and will continue our coverage through 2023 — the Robb Elementary School massacre that claimed 21 lives on May 24.
The last week of classes at Robb Elementary in Uvalde ended in terror when an 18-year-old gunman made his way inside the school, holed himself up inside of two adjoining classrooms and opened fire, killing 19 children and two teachers.
The gunman remained in the classrooms for 77 minutes before law enforcement intervened — a response that’s been deemed as “an abject failure” by many state and local officials.
Since the shooting, multiple law enforcement agencies opened their own investigations, surveillance videos from inside the school have been released, politicians are pushing for or against gun legislation and families of the shooting victims have formed their own group — Lives Robbed — to advocate for justice and transparency.
You can see our latest coverage on the Uvalde school shooting here.
Other top headlines from this month:
June
What we know about the deaths of 53 people found inside a trailer in San Antonio
The largest mass casualty event in San Antonio history happened June 28, when more than 50 migrants died after being left in a tractor-trailer in sweltering temperatures on the Southwest Side.
A nearby worker heard a cry for help from a tractor-trailer in the 9600 block of Quintana Road and went to investigate. The truck traveled from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
The truck’s doors were partially open and the worker saw deceased people inside and called for help, according to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
Bexar County officials said 53 people were killed in the tragedy and several others were hospitalized with heat-related illnesses.
The tractor-trailer was refrigerated but had no working air conditioning and no water available inside, according to San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood. It’s unknown how long the victims were inside of the trailer.
The people who did survive were hot to the touch and “too weak” to let themselves out, Hood said.
Four men were charged in connection with the incident by federal authorities for human smuggling.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, Homero Zamorano Jr., 45, was charged with involvement in alien smuggling resulting in death.
Three others were also charged by federal prosecutors: Christian Martinez, 28, and two Mexican citizens, Juan Claudio D’Luna-Mendez, 23, and Juan Francisco D’Luna-Bilbao, 48.
Other top headlines from this month:
July
Swimming not allowed at Jacob’s Well for the rest of the year, officials say
Jacob’s Well Natural Area in Hays County. (KSAT 12)
Despite sweltering temperatures this summer, one of Texas’ most beloved swimming holes was closed to the public for the rest of the year.
Jacob’s Well Natural Area in Wimberley was off-limits due to the threat of high bacteria levels, other pollutants and poor visibility, making it unsafe for swimming, according to Hays County officials.
The swimming hole also needed significant rainfall to recharge the Trinity Aquifer, and appeared to have run dry.
Swimming won’t be allowed in the area until 2023. The area is still open for hiking, geocaching and other activities.
Other top headlines from this month:
October
Everything we know so far about the shooting of teenager Erik Cantu Jr. by a San Antonio police officer
Editor’s Note: The video, released by SAPD, is graphic. Viewer discretion is advised.
A shooting outside of a McDonald’s restaurant on Oct. 2 garnered national attention after a teen was left fighting for his life in a hospital and the SAPD officer who shot him was fired and is facing criminal charges.
The incident happened in the 11700 block of Blanco Road near West Avenue.
Then-Probationary Officer James Brennand was responding to a disturbance call at 10:45 p.m. and was gathering information from witnesses when he noticed a vehicle that evaded him the day before during an attempted traffic stop in the McDonald’s parking lot, according to an SAPD report.
Brennand suspected the car was stolen and called for cover. He then opened the car door and ordered the driver, Erik Cantu Jr. to “get out of the car” before attempted to remove him physically.
Cantu then put the vehicle in reverse and the open door allegedly hit Brennand, who then fired shots into the car. Cantu and a 17-year-old female passenger were still inside.
Brennand reportedly fired more shots into the back of the vehicle as Cantu put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot.
Cantu was taken to University Hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
After spending more than seven weeks in critical condition and temporarily on life support, Cantu was released from the hospital. He sustained injuries to his stomach, diaphragm, lungs, liver, bicep and forearm.
He was initially charged by proxy with evading detention in a vehicle and assault on an officer, but those charges have since been dropped.
Brennand has been fired from SAPD and is charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant, a first-degree felony. He was released from jail on a $200,000 bond on Oct. 14.
Spurs waived Primo for multiple allegations of exposing himself to former team employee
San Antonio Spurs guard Josh Primo was released by the team after allegations surfaced that he exposed himself to former Spurs performance psychologist Dr. Hillary Cauthen.
Primo was accused of exposing himself to her nine times during private sessions.
Cauthen filed a lawsuit against Primo and the team in mid-November in the 45th District Court in Bexar County.
She claimed she first told the Spurs management about the incidents in Jan. 2022, but said no action was taken.
She said her involvement with the team was limited after she spoke out and the team chose not to renew her contract at the end of August. No action was taken against Primo.
On Nov. 17, Cauthen’s attorney, Tony Buzbee said she agreed to settle the lawsuit she filed against Primo and the team.
Other top headlines from this month:
November
San Antonio residents feel a shake following 5.4 magnitude West Texas earthquake
An earthquake that is the third strongest on record in Texas sent rumbles to San Antonio in mid-November.
Residents in high-rise buildings near downtown felt the tremors from a 5.4 earthquake that happened about 24 miles WSW of Mentone, Texas — about 350 miles northwest of SA.
According to KSAT meteorologists, a few aftershocks were also recorded in the same area of the earthquake.
Due to the geology of the SA area, earthquakes of this magnitude can be felt hundreds of miles away.
Exactly a month later, on Dec. 16, a 5.3 magnitude earthquake happened about 280 miles northwest of SA, but some rumbles were still felt.
The earthquake happened about 12 mile north of Midland.
No injuries in either of the earthquake rumbles in San Antonio were reported.
Other top headlines from this month:
December
Sources: San Antonio councilman suspect in hit-and-run
KSAT broke the story of a hit-and-run crash involving San Antonio District 10 City Council member Clayton Perry in November.
Perry is facing charges of DWI and failure to stop and give information. He is currently on a temporary leave of absence from his District 10 position, despite fellow council members issuing a ‘no-confidence vote.
The newest information about the incident came Dec. 29, when a new affidavit stated that Perry consumed 14 alcoholic beverages in a four-hour time span before his crash.
The affidavit states that Perry drove from the Evil Olive parking lot to a Bill Miller Bar-B-Q located across the street. The councilman got into the drive-thru line, didn’t order anything and remained at the window for about 10 minutes after being asked to leave by a staff member, the document states.
After driving away from the restaurant, Perry crashed his Jeep into a Honda Civic that was stopped at a red light at the intersection of Jones Maltsberger and Redland roads, investigators said.
The crash occurred less than 30 minutes after Perry left the bar.
Perry immediately left the scene and drove to his house, but a witness of the crash followed him and alerted police to his location, according to the affidavit.
That’s where a responding officer found Perry lying in his backyard and barely conscious. Perry denied driving home or being involved in a crash.
“He appears to be intoxicated based on the video of the interaction showing Perry to have lost the normal use of his mental and physical faculties,” according to the new affidavit.
Perry took a leave of absence on Nov. 14, and he’s been replaced on council by Mike Gallagher.
Other top headlines from this month: