This story has been updated.
A “very violent” man wanted on three warrants who allegedly shot and seriously injured two pursuing San Antonio officers on Thursday is facing more charges after being taken into custody hours after barricading himself in a Westside apartment.
SAPD on Friday morning identified the suspect as 28-year-old Jesse Garcia Jr., who was barricaded for several hours inside a “known associate’s” apartment after allegedly shooting the two officers.
Both police officers sustained life-threatening injuries but were in stable condition as of 9 a.m., SAPD said. The officers are veterans of the force, serving for six and four years, respectively.
After Thursday’s arrest, Christian Henricksen, first assistant district attorney for Bexar County, said in a Zoom call with the media that Garcia now faces five counts of aggravated assault against a public servant, two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated kidnapping. He is being held in custody on $4.25 million in bonds.
Garcia was out of jail on two bonds and wanted on three warrants for felonies, including possession of a firearm, evading arrest or detention in a vehicle, and burglary of a vehicle. He was taken into custody Thursday at around 9:30 p.m. at the apartment near U.S. Highway 90 and Loop 410.
Before his arrest, Police Chief William McManus said police were “trying to make contact with him in hopes to bring him out. … This individual is a very violent person.”
McManus on Friday morning took to X, questioning why Garcia wasn’t in jail and why his previous bonds weren’t increased.
“The suspect was out on two bonds for almost a year despite committing more crimes, being re-arrested, and wanted on three different warrants,” McManus wrote. “People want to know.”
Henricksen, in his call with the press, explained Garcia had racked up $57,000 in bonds, and was a wanted fugitive since August 3, when the bond company reported having lost contact with him.
Bond was doubled and warrants were issued until he was detained.
Henricksen said magistrate judges set bonds based on recommendations from prosecutors, and that a “vast majority of cases” don’t give a judge the authority to hold them without a bond.
“The bond system we have right now is frustrating. … Until we have a system that’s more based on risk where judges can [have] more authority to remand people when they’re clearly dangerous, then this is going to continue to happen.”
On Thursday just after 5 p.m, a tip on a wanted suspect’s location sent SAPD to an apartment complex on Oriental Avenue on the West Side. McManus said officers witnessed the suspect holding a long gun and getting into the passenger’s side of a vehicle that was being driven by another person.
When the suspect saw officers behind him, McManus said the man shot at the police vehicle, striking one officer.
At some point after fleeing, McManus said the suspect carjacked another vehicle and fled to an apartment complex on Westward Drive.
The suspect shot at the second police officer on the way there several times, McManus said.
During pursuit of the suspect, SAPD patrol vehicles were involved in accidents with other motorists near the 100 block of Oriental, officials said.
