Abilene police charge man in connection with Saturday evening shooting

A man arrested by Abilene police for allegedly shooting his wife Saturday evening at North 12th and Hickory streets is out on bond, according to Taylor County Jail records.

An Abilene police officer on patrol in the 1300 block of Hickory Street reported shots fired near his location just after 8 p.m. Saturday. Moments later he heard additional shots and requested backup units be sent to the area, according to the police report.

Two teenage girls ran to the patrol car screaming that they were being shot at, police reported. When the officer drove around the corner, he observed a bleeding, unresponsive woman on the ground and a man in a nearby white Ford SUV. He ordered the man to show his hands and walk toward the officers. The suspect eventually complied and was taken into custody. He was identified as Michael Salazar, 34.

First aid was given to the woman, whom witnesses identified as the suspect's wife, police reported. She was transported to a hospital and treated for facial fractures.

Witnesses also told police that the man and woman got into a verbal argument and that Salazar fired a gun several times, striking the ground around the woman. A handgun was in plain view in the SUV, and spent shell casing were in the immediate area, police reported.

The suspect and victim, who are originally from Abilene, live in Corpus Christi. They returned to Abilene for a visit, police reported.

Salazar was charged with first-degree felony aggravated assault with a weapon, third-degree felony deadly conduct discharge of a firearm, unlawful carrying a weapon and third-degree felony unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. His bonds totaled $83,000, and he was released from Taylor County Jail on bond Sunday.