One Texas SWAT commander was killed and three others were injured in an hours-long confrontation with a barricaded suspect in Levelland, approximately 30 miles west of Lubbock, officials said.
According to KCBD-TV in Lubbock, the suspect, Omar Soto-Chavira, 22, was apprehended late Thursday night and was transported to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.
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Soto-Chavira was released from prison only four days ago after being charged with abusing family members, according to Lubbock’s KAMC-TV. Texas has witnessed an increase in crimes committed by convicts on bail, and the state Senate recently approved a bond reform measure to address the issue.
NEW: Stand-off in Levelland ends. Suspect in custody after Lubbock SWAT team deploys robot and gas into the home. Omar Soto Chavira will be treated at a Lubbock hospital before incarceration. Texas Rangers will take over investigation. pic.twitter.com/AW8FwARQlc
— Bryan Mudd (@BryanMuddKAMC) July 16, 2021
Chavira had bonded out of jail four days ago after being charged with assaulting family members. pic.twitter.com/YrEfDEQiB4
— Bryan Mudd (@BryanMuddKAMC) July 16, 2021
According to Levelland Chief of Police Albert Garcia, officers got a call in the early afternoon about a neighbour behaving oddly and wandering about with what looked to be a big pistol.
As police arrived, they spotted a Chevrolet pickup vehicle in the driveway that had been reported earlier in the day by a Texas Highway Patrol Trooper. According to Garcia, the driver of the vehicle at the time was driving erratically and “appeared to be trying to bait” the trooper into some kind of confrontation.
The police did not rush over to the house.
“Because we did not have much information in regards to whether or not this weapon was truly in fact a real weapon or not, we took precautions,” Garcia said.
“We began to try to get negotiations started,” Garcia said.
“We did make contact with him, very short and brief. He was very hostile. Did not want to visit with or talk to Levelland police officers at that time.”
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Within minutes after contact, the suspect opened the front door and began firing on the Levelland police officers, according to Garcia.
Lubbock County officers and its SWAT team responded to the scene to assist, according to police.