Chief of Police Chase Stapp held a brief press conference at 11 a.m. today at the San Marcos Police Department, 2300 S IH-35, to provide details about an officer involved shooting that occurred in San Marcos last night.
Just after 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 4, the San Marcos Police Department dispatch center received a call from a concerned citizen who reported seeing a man shoot a handgun at a vehicle in the 100 block of S. LBJ Drive. Dispatch received a description of the man and the vehicle and immediately relayed the information to responding officers.
Shortly thereafter, a responding officer learned from a bystander that the suspect observed firing the weapon got into a fleeing vehicle. Officers located a vehicle matching this description travelling away from the downtown area on W. Hopkins Street. Officers conducted a high-risk stop on that vehicle at the intersection of W. Hopkins and Bishop Streets.
Almost immediately upon the vehicle coming to a stop, the front passenger exited the vehicle and faced the two officers. The officers observed that the passenger matched the clothing description provided by the original caller. The officers began issuing verbal commands for the subject to keep his hands up.
The man initially complied, but quickly lowered his hands as the officers continued giving him loud verbal commands to the contrary. As the man’s hands neared his waistband, he reached for his waistband, grasped what was shortly thereafter determined to be a pellet pistol manufactured to look identical to a semi-automatic handgun, and began to pull upward on the pistol.
Both officers simultaneously fired at the subject, and he was struck by the officers’ gunfire. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene by Justice of the Peace JoAnn Prado. The driver of the vehicle was not injured and is cooperating with the investigation.
The deceased has been identified as 27-year-old John Richard Camacho (dob 11.14.91) of Canyon Lake, Texas. Mr. Camacho had an extensive criminal record including weapon related and violent offenses and was currently on parole.
“The members of the San Marcos Police Department value the sanctity of human life above all things, and any time we are forced to take a life in the course of our duties, we will do our best to provide as much information as we can as quickly as we can to our community,” said Chief Stapp. “I want to extend my thoughts to everyone affected by this incident.”
A complete and thorough investigation of this incident will be conducted by the San Marcos Police Department Criminal Investigation Division and the Texas Rangers, and significant updates to information provided will likely not be available until that investigation is complete.
John Richard Camacho, dob 11.14.91
Subject Weapon