San Antonio PD: Escaped suspect in deadly attempted robbery caught in Converse

Jason Matthew Prieto, 35, was arrested Jan. 22, 2017 on charges of capital murder and aggravated robbery. Jason Matthew Prieto, 35, was arrested Jan. 22, 2017 on charges of capital murder and aggravated robbery. Image 1 of / 54 Caption Close San Antonio PD: Escaped suspect in deadly attempted robbery caught in Converse 1 / 54 Back to Gallery

UPDATE: San Antonio Police Spokesman Douglas Greene said late Sunday that Converse Police had arrested a 34-year-old man believed to be the suspect who had escaped after a fatal attempted robbery of Kay Jewelers at Rolling Oaks Mall earlier in the day.

The man, Jason Matthew Prieto, faces a charge of capital murder and two counts of aggravated robbery. He is being held on a $1.7 million bond.

In a news conference just after midnight, Greene said Converse police were called to the intersection of Loop 1604 and Coppergate at about 3:45 p.m. to check out a report of a wreck. When officers arrived, they found a stolen silver vehicle had crashed. There was no one with the vehicle.

RELATED: Panicked shoppers, employees take to social media during fatal Rolling Oaks Mall shooting

In searching the area nearby, Greene said, Converse officers found the 35-year-old man they believe was driving the vehicle, later identified as Prieto. He was arrested without incident; police said he had two guns on his person.

Converse police had been assisting SAPD in searching for the escaped robber, and Prieto was turned over to San Antonio police. Greene said he was interviewed by homicide and robbery detectives, who determined he was the suspect that had escaped.

The second suspected robber, who was in critical condition late Sunday at San Antonio Military Medical Center, is believed to have fired the fatal shot that killed a bystander at the jewelry store, Greene said, but added that both men were believed to have fired their weapons at the mall. He said investigators are checking the two guns that the 35-year-old suspect had in his possession to determine whether those were the guns used in the robbery.

RELATED: 'Good Samaritan' killed during mall shooting went to get wedding rings cleaned with wife

Kay Jewelers has released a statement in response to the robbery.

"We are shocked and saddened by the tragic events at the Rolling Oaks Mall in San Antonio, TX. We extend our deepest sympathies to everyone affected. Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and Team Members and their ability to shop and work in a safe environment."

"We are taking all necessary steps in cooperating with local law enforcement. We will continue to do everything possible to support those impacted by this tragic situation."

Original story continues:

One person is dead and three others injured from gunshot wounds following an attempted jewelry store robbery Sunday afternoon at Rolling Oaks Mall.

One other people was also transported to an area hospital with non-gun related injuries, and another treated at the scene, police say.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus called it "a robbery gone really, really bad."

McManus said two men attempted to rob Kay Jewelers at the mall and at some point they encountered two citizens who tried to intervene.

"There was a fatality," McManus said. "One of the citizens who tried to intervene and stop the robbery, the robbers from escaping, was shot by one of the suspects."

RELATED: Area teen recounts tale of fear during fatal shooting at Northeast Side mall

"We don't know the order, but there was an exchange of gunfire," police spokesman Sgt. Jesse Salame said.

McManus and Salame confirmed that one of the suspects was shot by one of the citizens who had a concealed carry license.

Mall shooting***update*** One deceased male victim at the scene 4 people, including the suspect transported to SAMMC. Suspect is in critical condition. 2 victims are being treated for non-life threatening gunshot wounds. 1 victim was transported for chest pains. One suspect remains at large. A Hispanic male wearing a hoodie and mask was last seen leaving the mall. Any info call crime stoppers at 210-224-STOP Posted by San Antonio Police Department on Sunday, January 22, 2017

McManus said he did not know if the two citizens who intervened were there together, or if they just happened to be there at the same time. He later called those two individuals "good Samaritans."

The man killed by the suspects has been identified as Jonathan Murphy, 42, who was with his wife Aimee Murphy at the store having their wedding rings cleaned. Police have not released the identity of the other citizen who intervened.

Aimee Murphy said on Monday that her husband Jonathan was not the one in possession of the firearm.

After the exchange of gunfire the second suspect then ran away through the mall, shooting as he went, McManus said.

Salame said two other people were shot as the suspect fled.

Police initially reported that six other people in addition to the suspect and the citizens who intervened had been shot during the incident.

RELATED: SAPD: 3 armed men dressed in black rob diamond store at South Park Mall

The San Antonio Fire Department said it transported four total people who had been shot to area hospitals. A fifth person who was having chest pains because of the incident was also taken to a hospital, spokesman Woody Woodward said. The sixth was a pregnant woman treated at the scene.

Police reported that all those shot were taken to San Antonio Military Medical Center.

Of those shot, one was dead on arrival and another had serious injuries, Woodward said. Two others wounded in the shooting had less serious injuries, he said. The suspected robber was in critical condition, police said.

@SATXPolice & Live Oak PD searching for 2nd suspect in deadly shooting @RollingOaksMall. Plz report any info u may have. @COSAGOV — Mayor Ivy R Taylor (@IvyRTaylor) January 22, 2017

The mall was locked down just after the attempted robbery but by 6:40 p.m., police started releasing groups of people from the mall. As of late Sunday, several store managers had been allowed back in the mall to check their stores, Greene said. The mall was expected to be open at its usual hour Monday although some individual stores might open later.

"We are looking at the possibility that these are the same suspects in a smash-and-grab robbery that occurred Friday at South Park Mall," Salame said. "They are very similar incidents, the way the store was targeted, and two Hispanic males with the same clothing description."

Earlier in the day, Greene had noted that the robbery at Rolling Oaks had been unsuccessful.

"He didn't get away with anything," Greene said of the escaped suspect."It was an unsuccessful, attempted robbery."

The San Antonio Fire Department active incidents page reported at least 28 units responded to the mall's address at 3:30 p.m.

"We were in the mall, we heard the shots and just started running. It was chaos," said Benjamin Arsate, who was near the food court when he heard the shots.

"I mean where do you go to have fun now? This is insane. It's like nowhere's safe anymore," he said.

Maggie Hernandez was with her daughter Tera, 18, at the mall when they heard of the shooting. "It was scary," said Tera, who had been crying as they escaped the mall.

"We started running out, too. You don't want to be caught inside," said Maggie Hernandez.

They the huddled with a group of Dillard's employees behind a car outside, terrified.

"It's a learning experience right?" said Maggie. "If you have this experience, then either hide or find a nearest exit."

Mayor Ivy Taylor later arrived at the scene, along with District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher, and lauded the quick and efficient coordination between law enforcement units. But also lamented violent nature of big cities.

"I know here in San Antonio we often feel insulated because we have such a great community, but we've seen an uptick in crime in big cities across the country and unfortunately we're not immune to that," she said.

Gallagher said this incident shouldn't be grouped with the active shooting incidences in public places that have made headlines across the country in recent years.

"I just urge everyone to remain calm and continue their routines as usual, and to have confidence that law enforcement officials are certainly working diligently to ensure their safety," Taylor said.

This report will be updated as more information becomes available.

Staff writers Jeremy Gerlach, Jim Kiest, Alia Malik and Tyler White contributed to this report