Neida Tijerina

Date: 7/26/2021          Location: San Antonio, TX    FACTORS (1,2,4,5,9,13,14,20)        

Name: Neida Tijerina                         

Criminal History/Involved: Tijerina’s common-law husband Angel Sanchez had a history of domestic violence, “was out on bond for an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon case” from August 2020, and had an active warrant for cutting his GPS monitor off./ Yes, Angel Sanchez was holding his wife and their children hostage in the house while threatening them and the police with a shotgun.        

Mental Illness: Yes, Sanchez was suicidal, threatening to kill himself and taunting the police to shoot him.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Sanchez had a prior drug related arrest./ Unknown.

Race/Sex/Age: Latina/Female/29

Officer(s) involved: Numerous San Antonio Police Department police officers                

What prompted the initial contact with police? At approximately 9 p.m. on July 26, 2021, San Antonio police officers responded to a 911 call of a violent domestic with a man, Angel Sanchez, armed with a rifle and threatening to kill his common-law wife Neida Tijerina and himself.

Actions taken by subject towards police: Sanchez taunted the responding officers, first stepping out of his apartment threatening to shoot them with this shotgun and then returning inside to come outside while holding his infant child. Officers held their fire and Sanchez brought the child back inside and again returned outside, pointing his shotgun at the surrounding officers.

Reactions by the police: After the first time Sanchez threatened the officers with his shotgun, three officers moved to a nearby roof and when Sanchez came back outside pointing his shotgun at the officers on the ground, the three officers on the roof each shot at Sanchez with their rifles. Injured, Sanchez dropped his weapon and was taken into custody. While securing the scene the officers discovered Tijerina had been fatally shot as well, likely from one of the their rifle rounds.

Outcome of investigation into the fatal police incident: Sanchez was charged with three counts of aggravated assault of a peace officer and the shooting is still under investigation.

What could the subject have done that day to still be alive today? Tijerina bears no fault for what happened, but Sanchez could have prevented the entire incident by adhering to the stay away order and not going near Tijerina; not criminally possessing a weapon; and not threatening to shoot her, himself, nor the police.

Justified Use of Deadly Force? YES, the police were completely justified using deadly force against Sanchez, unfortunately one of the bullets went through him and/or the apartment and fatally struck Tijerina as well.