SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Police Department released body camera footage on Thursday, shedding light on the chaotic moments surrounding a police-involved shooting that left an 18-year-old man injured on the city’s West Side last month.
The incident occurred late on the night of Sept. 1, near Old Highway 90 and West Commerce Street. According to department records, SAPD officers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle carrying two people at approximately 10:45 p.m.
The newly released footage depicts a patrol unit trailing the suspect vehicle before it eventually comes to a halt near the intersection of Buena Vista Street and South San Gabriel Avenue. Almost immediately, the passenger, identified by police as 18-year-old Joe Anthony Guzman, is seen bolting from the car and sprinting away from the officers.
While a responding officer moved to secure the driver, who remained in the vehicle, gunfire erupted in the direction where Guzman had fled. Investigators identified the officer who fired his weapon as Alexander Suttles, a seven-year veteran of the San Antonio Police Department.
A notable gap remains in the visual evidence provided by the department. Capt. Justin Tidwell, who narrated the incident in a departmental video, confirmed that Officer Suttles’ specific actions during the confrontation were not recorded.
“The cover officer was unable to activate his body-worn camera,” Tidwell stated.
According to police accounts, Suttles attempted to take Guzman into custody before the situation escalated into a physical struggle. SAPD Chief Jesse Salame noted on the night of the shooting that the officer reported Guzman was armed and reaching for a firearm during the encounter.
After the shots were fired, Guzman managed to flee on foot, eventually hiding in bushes located in the 5300 block of Monterey Street. He was apprehended shortly thereafter by responding officers.
Guzman was subsequently charged with first-degree aggravated assault against a peace officer. Court records from Bexar County indicate he was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on Sept. 2 under a $100,000 bond. He was released on bail 10 days later.
In accordance with standard departmental policy, Officer Suttles has been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation. The SAPD Shooting Team and the department’s Internal Affairs Unit are currently conducting an active investigation into the circumstances surrounding the use of force.
As of Thursday, the department has provided no further details regarding the recovery of the weapon allegedly held by the suspect or the status of the driver involved in the initial traffic stop. The investigation remains ongoing.
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