Man wielding pickaxe killed during confrontation with officer

A man wielding a pickaxe was killed by an officer responding to a disturbance Monday afternoon at a West Side home.

Family members called police at 3:44 p.m. saying they were afraid because a man had a knife in their home in the 500 block of Glendale Avenue, San Antonio police said.

Officer Douglas Greene, an SAPD spokesman, said the man, in his 40s, had a pickaxe and was confrontational with the officer when she arrived. It is unclear when the man exited the home.

“We still need to review the video to see exactly what happened, but at some point she felt compelled to fire her weapon,” Greene said.

The officer fired two shots as they were in the middle of the dead end street, police said. The man was hit once in his upper torso.

He was pronounced dead shortly after EMS arrived, Greene said.

“We do have family members here. They’re being cooperative and talking to the officers,” Greene said.

Police are also investigating whether or not the man was under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the incident occurred.

The officer, who has been with the department for two years, was not injured, police said. She will be placed on administrative duty as police investigate the shooting.