Video: Suspect Pulls Gun on San Antonio Police During Foot Chase

By Brooke Park

Source San Antonio Express-News

The San Antonio Police Department has released the body cam footage for the Dec. 3 officer-involved shooting that killed an armed man.

SAPD officer James Lopez fired over a dozen rounds at Jeffrey Schopp after he pulled out a gun while leading officers on a foot chase through a North Side drainage ditch on Dec. 3, police said. Schopp shot himself in the head "as he was shot by the officer," who struck him in the chest, police said. The man died at the scene.

The incident began after police attempted to detain Schopp around 3 p.m. near Loop 410 and Jones Maltsberger Road for crossing the street without using a crosswalk.

The narrated video released Friday shows Schopp, 33, walking on the sidewalk when the officer tells him to come to his car.

"I'm not doing all of that man," Schopp says in the video. "Am I under arrest?"

The officer tells Schopp he is being detained for failing to use a crosswalk. Schopp apologizes several times before dropping one of his bags and running away.

The video then shows Schopp racing into a nearby parking garage and darting in between cars. Another officer's body cam footage shows Schopp running out of the garage and climbing a tree, using one of its branches to jump over an iron fence. As Schopp flung his body over the fence, the officer reaches out and appears to briefly grab Schopp's shirt.

Officers later found Schopp hiding in tall grass near a drainage ditch along the 700 Block of East Rector Street.

Police said Schopp pulled out a gun as officers approached. Lopez then fired over a dozen shots at Schopp, emptying his gun's magazine. Schopp raised his gun, and Lopez resumed shooting, striking Schopp in the chest. Police said Schopp also shot himself in the head.

Officers provided life-saving measures, but Schopp was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Lopez, who has been with the department for four years, was not injured during the incident.

Schoop had an extensive criminal history that dates back to 2013, which includes charges of assault, drug possession, theft and forgery.

The SAPD Shooting Team and the Internal Affairs Unit are continuing to conduct separate, concurrent investigations. Their findings will be sent to the Bexar County District Attorney's Office for an independent review.

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