On Tuesday, what began as a fairly routine police stop ended in shots fired, a lengthy chase, and a shootout near schools — all livestreamed to the suspect’s personal Facebook page. That suspect, identified on his Facebook page as Felix Santos of San Antonio, Texas, is clearly seen waving a revolver out of his car window as he shouts at police to “back off” during the pursuit on a major highway and through residential areas. He livestreamed it all, including the reason he chose to turn the stop into a dangerous armed pursuit that may have ended his life.
The chase began on Tuesday morning at about 10 AM. According to local media reports, Santos was stopped for a parole violation in Pleasanton, Texas, south of San Antonio. According to police he got out of his pickup truck, then jumped back into it and fled.
Vehicles from the Department of Public Safety and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office followed a white pick-up truck on I-10 and I-35 around 10:45 a.m. The suspect, who had an active warrant for a parole violation, is accused of shooting at officers while trying to flee on the highway.
At least a dozen law enforcement vehicles were following the truck. Moments later, the vehicle exited and stopped near school. A BCSO public information officer said the driver got out of the truck with a weapon in hand and threatened deputies. Six deputies struck the suspect, who appears to be in his 30s to 40s, according to BCSO.
At the :42 second mark, he shouts at police to back up. He extends his arm waving the gun out of his window. He pulls his arm and the gun back into the car at about the :54 mark. Amazingly, he aims his phone camera so it will capture him waving the gun out of the vehicle.
At the 1:24 mark, he spots a news camera crew on the side of the highway and shouts “I’m on the news!” followed by a racist epithet. At several points he turns the camera on himself offering clear views of his face and black Air Jordan ballcap, and turns the camera to show the police cars in pursuit.
At 5:55 he tells his livestream audience he is running out of gas.
At about the 8:15 mark he shouts, apparently at police, “I’ve got two more bullets!” and taunts them with profanity. Half a minute later he taunts police again and shouts “Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!” As the chase continues, he speaks to someone on the phone (he is evidently carrying at least two, one of which he uses for calls while he livestreams the chase with another) and uses the camera to show his livestream audience highway signs showing where he is.
At about the 13 minute mark he provides apparent motive for running from police, telling his passenger and the livestream audience “I’m not going back to prison. That’s what I said, when I got out. That’s what it is.”
At about the 16:30 mark, he speaks with someone via phone and tells them to bring their brother, indicating the possibility that he may have been attempting to set up an escape or ambush scenario.
At the 22 minute mark, the livestream quickly takes an ominous turn. Police had used spikes to flatten the driver side tires. The suspect was also running out of gas. He stops the truck near Allen Elementary School and says “Watch out.” He places the camera on the seat or floor and may cover it with something. Police sirens can be heard in the background. The camera captures the sound of the suspect cocking the hammer on the revolver.
He shouts “What’s up, bitches!” and the sounds of gunfire begin.
He shouts at the officers several more times, until a hail of gunfire silences him. By the 23 minute mark, the gun battle is over. An unseen police officer declares the vehicle clear just after the 24 minute mark.
One media report says the suspect fired at Bexar County Sherriff’s deputies and Texas state troopers before they returned fire.
The suspect then drove to the intersection of Dumont and Springvale, where he got out of the pickup and shot at BCSO deputies and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, Garcia said.
The deputies and troopers fired back, hitting the man several times in the upper torso, Garcia said.
Watch the entire livestream video here. Warning: Graphic language throughout.
According to local media reports, he was shot but not killed, and taken to a hospital in critical condition.
For law enforcement officers, any stop on any day can suddenly turn violent and dangerous as this one did. No officers or others were injured in this incident.
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