Newly released body camera footage shows the moments before a San Antonio police officer shot an 18-year-old man on the West Side last month.
On Thursday, the San Antonio Police Department released footage showing the Sept. 1 shooting near Old Highway 90 and West Commerce Street as officers attempted a traffic stop around 10:45 p.m.
The footage shows a patrol unit following a vehicle with two people inside.
SAPD said Joe Anthony Guzman was in the passenger seat when the driver stopped near Buena Vista Street and South San Gabriel Avenue. The video shows Guzman sprinting out of the car away from police, leaving the driver behind.
As an officer approached the surrendered driver, gunshots are heard in the direction of where Guzman fled.
SAPD said Alexander Suttles, a seven-year veteran with the department, shot at Guzman.
The department said Suttles’ perspective was not captured on camera.
“The cover officer was unable to activate his body-worn camera,” according to Capt. Justin Tidwell. The captain narrated the shooting details in a YouTube video.
Tidwell said Suttles attempted to take Guzman into custody at first, but a struggle unfolded.
“The officer reported that the suspect had a gun and was reaching for the gun,” SAPD Chief Jesse Salame said the night of the shooting.
After he was shot, Guzman fled on foot to nearby bushes in the 5300 block of Monterey Street, where he was later taken into custody, SAPD said.
Bexar County court records indicate Guzman was charged with first-degree aggravated assault against a peace officer. He was booked Sept. 2 into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on a $100,000 bond and bailed out 10 days later.
Suttles was placed on administrative duty after the shooting , according to a news release.
The SAPD Shooting Team and the Internal Affairs Unit are actively investigating the encounter.
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