According to an arrest warrant, a suspect struck a man with a gun before it accidentally fired, hitting a nearby bystander.
SAN ANTONIO — A gathering meant to honor a lost loved one turned into a chaotic and violent scene after police say a suspect pistol-whipped a man and that’s when the gun accidentally fired, hitting an innocent bystander in the face.
San Antonio police were called to the 9100 block of Perrin Beitel Road on January 10 after reports of a shooting.
When officers arrived, they found a 45-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to the face. A short time later, a second victim, a 30-year-old man was located nearby with a large gash on his forehead.
According to an arrest warrant, witnesses told officers the group had gathered for a barbecue to honor someone who had recently passed away. That gathering abruptly turned violent after an argument escalated.
Police say moments before the violence broke out, witnesses reported seeing 33-year-old Johnny Lee Roybal involved in a confrontation with another man.
Roybal then returned to the gathering, when the same man he’d been arguing with showed up, asking around for a cigarette.
According to that warrant, Roybal suddenly and unprovoked, pulled out a handgun and struck the man in the face with it.
Investigators say the gun then accidentally discharged, striking a nearby bystander in the face.
The victim suffering from a gunshot wound was rushed to the hospital, where police later spoke with him.
He told officers he remembered seeing Roybal pull out the gun and strike the other man, but could not recall what happened afterward, according to police documents.
Police say he is expected to recover from his injuries.
Roybal fled the scene, and was arrested on in the last week.
Roybal is now behind bars and facing two charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.