Off-Duty Texas Officer Followed Protocol in Shooting

Aug. 9, 2011
An off-duty Poteet police officer who works security at an apartment complex on the city's South Side shot a man in the arm early Monday morning.

SAN ANTONIO --

An off-duty Poteet police officer who works security at an apartment complex on the city's South Side shot a man in the arm early Monday morning.

San Antonio police said the shooting happened at around 3 a.m. at the Bellaire Apartment Homes in the 8200 block of South Flores Street.

The officer, 45-year-old Martin Chavez, told San Antonio police investigators that his wife woke him up when she heard an argument at a nearby apartment. Chavez told investigators his wife heard the word "gun."

Investigators said Chavez went outside and identified himself.

Investigators said a 26-year-old man, who had been involved in the argument, came toward Chavez and lunged at him. Chavez told investigators he felt threatened and thought the man was going to try to take his gun, and that's when Chavez shot the man once in the upper right arm.

Chavez's wife was not the only one who woke up to the early-morning argument. A man who didn't want to be identified said the commotion also woke him up.

"I heard some screaming going on and then I just heard a single gunshot and that's when I called the police department," he said.

The man said about 15 to 20 minutes went by from the time he initially heard the argument, to when he heard the gunshot.

"After I heard the gunshot, I did hear some screaming like somebody had gotten hurt," he said.

The wounded man was taken to University Hospital in serious but stable condition, investigators said. San Antonio police said he was unarmed.

San Antonio police are investigating the shooting, but said Chavez followed protocol.

The Poteet Police Department has placed Chavez on paid administrative leave until San Antonio detectives complete their investigation.

Copyright 2011 by KSAT.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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