SAN ANTONIO – A 19-year-old man walked into the Bexar County jail Sunday afternoon to be booked.
Six minutes later, he was dead.
“It’s pretty apparent to us that it appears to be a suicide,” said Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar.
KSAT does not typically report on suicides, but we found this raises public safety questions about how a gun made it into what’s supposed to be a secure area.
Salazar said Jesus Gonzales was arrested after he was charged with domestic violence choking, a felony.
BCSO says a 19yo man shot and killed himself during a strip search. Sheriff Salazar says SAPD brought him in on a domestic violence warrant. He said the 19yo was patted down by a deputy when he entered the jail
“Clearly, a weapon was missed,” said the sheriff #KSATnews
— KSAT Daniela Ibarra (@KSATDaniela) March 3, 2024
“By our policy, we strip search all inmates that are brought in on a felony,” explained Salazar.
He said Gonzales pulled out a gun while a deputy was strip-searching him and shot himself.
“How did the gun get there?” asked KSAT reporter Daniela Ibarra.
“It’s a secure facility,” responded Salazar. “I mean, literally nobody is armed. Not even us.”
Salazar said the semi-automatic handgun “should have been found before it got to that point.”
San Antonio police said an officer arrested Gonzales Sunday morning on a family violence warrant and took him to jail.
According to San Antonio police policy regarding searching prisoners, officers are responsible for searching those they arrest for weapons, dangerous objects, contraband, or evidence.
“Transporting officers are held accountable for any prisoner arriving at a detention facility or processing room with a weapon, dangerous object, or contraband on his person,” the policy states.
“Clearly a weapon was missed,” said Salazar.
KSAT reached out to SAPD twice via email on Sunday. We requested to speak with Chief William McManus about the incident.
KSAT also asked if the arresting officer found any guns on Gonzales before bringing him to jail and if any action was being taken.
As of Sunday evening, KSAT has not gotten any answers.
“All we can assume at this point is that he came into the facility with the weapon, hidden under several layers of clothing,” said Salazar. “But still, absolutely the weapon had to have been, should have been found before that.”
Salazar said the deputy who witnessed the suicide is on administrative duty.
He said none of the deputies in that section of the jail were armed or hurt.
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