(StraightNews.org) – Two people died and four were injured during an exchange of gunfire at a festival in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio police chief Bill McManus said officers heard gunshots coming from the Fiesta San Antonio at Market Square and ran to the scene, where they found an 18-year-old and 20-year-old trading gunshots. Police killed the 18-year-old, and the 20-year-old was transported to hospital, where he later died.
Video footage showed crowds running from the site, resulting in injuries to four female bystanders. Two were taken to hospital, while the others were treated on the scene. Police seized two firearms and said investigations are ongoing. They did not comment on the cause of the incident nor the exact nature of the injuries to the four women.
At a subsequent press conference, Chief McManus identified the two men as 18-year-old Mikey Valdez and 20-year-old Albert Cisneros. He said officers witnessed Valdez shoot at Cisneros and then opened fire, killing Valdez with several shots. The officers involved were Zachary Krok and 13-year veteran Sergeant Joseph Fech.
A formal police statement noted that the San Antonio Police Department Shooting Team and the internal affairs bureau will conduct “separate, concurrent inquiries.” The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office will review the results of those investigations.
Chief McManus furthermore confirmed that the only participants in the incident were the two dead men, who “had some sort of beef.” He also stated that for next year’s festival, attendees can expect to be checked for weapons, with bags and backpacks subject to police searches.
The festival has frequently witnessed violence, and in 2023, a man was wounded as shots rang out in Market Square. The worst incident occurred in 1979, when a sniper opened fire indiscriminately, killing two people and injuring more than 50. Ira Attebury, who had a history of mental illness, sat in a parked Winnebago with several guns and began shooting as soon as the crowds arrived. Police later shot him dead.
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