June 3, 2022–”On the evening of June 2nd, I received information from Investigator Freddy Alvarez with the TDCJ Office of Inspector General, regarding prison escapee Gonzalo A. Lopez. Information provided to the Sheriff’s Office was that Lopez was suspected in the murder of a family of five near Centerville, Texas on June 2nd and had escaped from a TDCJ bus near Centerville on May 12th,” said Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward. “The suspect stole a white Chevrolet pickup truck from the murder victims and the information including the license plate number, was provided by Investigator Alvarez.
I alerted all my deputies and our Communications Center due to the possibility the suspect may be headed to the Rio Grande Valley. A short while later, we received information from the U.S. Marshals Service that Lopez was suspected of being in the San Antonio area. We immediately deployed marked and unmarked units to IH 37, U.S. 281, Texas 16 and IH 35 to be on the lookout for the suspect and vehicle. We also alerted police departments in our county along these routes.
At approximately 9:57 p.m., an Atascosa County investigation and a deputy sheriff spotted the vehicle southbound several miles north of Poteet, on Texas Highway 16. These officers were instructed not to alert the suspect and to tail him until backup officers could get to the Jourdanton area. About one-half mile north of Jourdanton, the Jourdanton Police Chief deployed a tire deflation device and all four of the truck’s tires were spiked. A pursuit ensured and the truck turned on to Spur 162 and then turned into a large open pasture before emerging back on to Texas 16, headed south with several units from multiple agencies in pursuit. Upon entering Jourdanton, the suspect stuck a semi-automatic rifle out the truck’s window and fired shots at pursuing officers. T he truck turned onto Cypress Street and left the roadway and struck a utility pole and got back onto the street and lost control striking a chain-link fence and a utility pole guy wire anchor. The suspect exited the stolen pickup truck armed with a rifle and handgun and reportedly fired at officers. Four Atascosa County officers, three from the Sheriff’s Office, returned fire. The suspect was hit by gunfire and was pronounced dead at the scene. One law enforcement vehicle was struck in the top corner of the windshield by a round fired by the suspect.
The scene and shooting is being investigated by Company F Texas Rangers.
Agencies participating in the pursuit and apprehension of Lopez were, Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office, Jourdanton Police Department, Pleasanton Police Department, Atascosa County ACA, Constable Pct. 3, Texas Ranger – Jourdanton, Texas Highway Patrol, U.S. Marshals Service, Texas DPS.
The body of the suspect was sent to a medical examiner for an autopsy.
No dash camera or body camera video is available at this time citing that the case is under investigation.