SAPD releases description of reported La Cantera shooter

A police officer walks out of Nordstrom as police responded to reports of gunshots near La Cantera on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. A police officer walks out of Nordstrom as police responded to reports of gunshots near La Cantera on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. Photo: Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News Photo: Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 17 Caption Close SAPD releases description of reported La Cantera shooter 1 / 17 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — Authorities are still searching for a gunman but have decreased their presence and re-opened The Shops at La Cantera after reports of an active shooter prompted a large police response on the Northwest Side Thursday morning.

San Antonio Police Department spokesman Douglas Greene said no injuries were reported and no arrests have been made but that a shell casing was found at the scene after a report of a suspect shooting at cars near the La Cantera exit off Interstate 10 came in around 9:30 a.m.

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"Based on all the calls we received, and based on the shell casings found, that pretty much confirms that there was an indivudal that was shooting," Greene said. "Now, was the individual actually shooting at cars, was he just shooting into the air? That's still being investigated."

A preliminary police report released Thursday afternoon states the alleged gunman had a beard and was wearing shorts, a T-shirt and glasses. Witnesses also described the vehicle involved in the alleged shooting as a truck.

Greene initailly said multiple shell casings were found at the scene, but later said authorities found only one near the eastbound I-10 access road near La Cantera Parkway.

Speaking to media at the scene at 11:30 a.m., Greene said police received "several" reports of gunshots in the area, some of which said a suspect was firing at vehicles and others that said he was firing into the air, but no one has contacted SAPD to report their vehicle was struck by gunfire.

Police believe the suspect — who Greene described, based on witness reports, as possibly wearing a tactical vest — is no longer in the area, since a two-hour search did not lead to any arrests.

Greene said SAPD has decreased their presence at the La Cantera area, but some units are still on scene and they do not believe there is "an apparent threat in the area."

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Other units, inlcuding the department's helicopter, are expanding the search in an attempt to locate the reported gunman.

Police could be seen at one point checking out a black Dodge Ram pickup in the mall's parking lot in front of a Nordstrom store, but it is not immediately clear what they found and Greene initially declined to comment on a specific vehicle because the investigation is still underway.

Dozens of police cars were scattered throughout the mall's parking lot and almost all entrances were closed. Several roads in the area were blocked off and three nearby schools are keeping all students and faculty inside.

Police initially advised motorists to find an alternate route, but roads have since reopened. A Tweet from the City of San Antonio's official account called it an "active shooter situation (that is) currently being investigated."

The Northwest Side shopping center area, located about 16 miles from downtown San Antonio, has dozens of shops, restaurants, apartments and other establishments such as Six Flags Fiesta Texas and TopGolf and is close to a large highway interchange.

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Northside Independent School District spokesman Barry Perez said three elementary campuses —Monroe May, Leon Springs and Bonnie Ellison — were on “modified lockdown,” meaning indoor activities happened as usual, but entries into the school were limited and monitored. He said outdoor activities like P.E. and recess will be conducted inside the buildings until the situation was cleared just after 11 a.m.

The University of Texas at San Antonio, which is about 2 miles from the scene, was not placed on lockdown but officials monitored the situation, a spokesman said.

This story is developing and more information will be added as it becomes available.

Staff writer Madalyn Mendoza contributed to this report.

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