A man who was shot at by police later shot and killed himself Sunday, according to the Weslaco Police Department, who said the incident occurred after the man had boxed in his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle and approached her with a gun.
It’s unclear whether the shots fired by the officer struck the man, who remains unidentified pending notification of next of kin.
The incident began at approximately 3:43 a.m. when Weslaco police responded to a verbal dispute between two vehicles in the 1400 block of East Eighth Street. Upon arrival, officers then responded to the 700 block of Tierra Santa Boulevard where the parties had traveled to.
“The preliminary investigation revealed that one of the parties was allegedly striking the other vehicle causing damage as it waited to enter the gate of a residential subdivision,” the release stated. “Officers were further notified before arriving on scene that the parties involved were a female, and her ex-boyfriend who was allegedly driving the car-ramming the SUV.”
Police say officers found the man holding a gun and approaching the front of the SUV, which was boxed in behind the vehicle he was driving and the subdivision’s gate.
“A Weslaco Police Officer then discharged his firearm towards the suspect to defend the persons inside the SUV. The armed male then used his firearm to cause a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the release stated.
Police requested EMS for the man and the people inside the SUV.
No one else is injured, authorities say.
The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the police shooting while Weslaco police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call the Criminal Investigation Division at (956) 968-8591 or to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at (956) 968-8477.
