Bodycam Shows Struggle, Fatal Shooting Between Texas Police, Bicyclist

Nov. 12, 2021
In footage released by the San Antonio Police Department, officers on patrol fought with a bicyclist who allegedly was trying to pull a gun on them before he was shot and killed.

By Jacob Beltran

Source San Antonio Express-News

Footage of a man shot and killed by officers after they said he attempted to pull a gun was released by San Antonio police.

The dash camera and body camera footage, released Thursday evening, shows the deadly encounter between two officers and Rodolfo Gonzales, 46. The police department warns that the content of this video may contain graphic images and not be suitable for all audiences.

The officers were on patrol around midnight Sept. 12 in the area of Pima Street and Palo Alto Road, around a known narcotics house, officials said.

They spotted a man on a bike heading toward the house, police said.

Given the circumstances, officials wrote in a statement, the officers signaled the man to pull over.

The bicyclist, identified as Gonzales, appeared to stop at first, but then fled.

Officers pursued Gonzales before cutting him off in the 200 block of Pima.

The body cam footage shows one officer opening his driver side door in front of Gonzales before a struggle ensues.

The struggle is difficult to make out from either officer's body camera footage, but police said Gonzales was reaching for a firearm from his waistband.

The officers were attempting to wrestle the gun away, but Gonzales wouldn't let go, police said.

Toward the end of the struggle, which lasted about 20 seconds, an officer could be heard shouting "He's got a gun. Watch out, watch out!"

One of the officers starts shooting, firing off several shots, before the other officer fires as well.

Both officers opened fire out of fear that Gonzales would shoot them, police said.

Gonzales was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not say how many times Gonzales was struck.

Gonzales' firearm was recovered at the scene, investigators said. A portion of the footage shows a handgun on the ground next to Gonzales' right hand and a tire of the police vehicle just after the shooting.

Mariah Medina, a police spokeswoman, said investigations in deadly force can take more than a year.

As of Thursday, the investigation is ongoing, police said.

Officials have not identified either of the officers involved in the incident.

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(c)2021 the San Antonio Express-News

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