Bexar County DA blames open carry for SAPD shootings. Expert says it's not that simple.
Published: Thu, 09/14/23
Bexar County DA blames open carry for SAPD shootings. Expert says it's not that simple.
Violent crime has actually declined 14% in San Antonio since July, according to Police Chief William McManus.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales speaks to reporters following his reelection in November.
Michael Karlis
San Antonio Current
By Michael Karlis
Wed, Sep 13, 2023 at 12:42 pm
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales speaks to reporters following his reelection in November.
During a public safety town hall Monday, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales blamed the recent string of shootings of San Antonio police officers on the state's open-carry firearms law, which he said prompted a rise in violent crime.
However, at least one legal expert questions that logic, saying multiple factors played into the shootings that injured five officers over a 12-day period. What's more, violent crime has actually declined in San Antonio this year, according to SAPD crime data.
"When you talk about the incidence of crime, it's all just so devilishly difficult to talk about what are the root causes of crime," said Gerald S. Reamey, a retired professor at St. Mary's Law School who also worded in law enforcement. "We can all agree on a number [of factors] that contribute, but it's difficult to tease out the individual strands."
Reamey said hot summers can also play a part in higher violent-crime rates.
"Does that mean if we have more air conditioners in the community, the crime rate will go down?" he asked. "Well, no. It's never that simple, and the same is true for guns."
Violent crime in the city is down 14% since July, according to San Antonio Police Department figures. In recent public comments, Police Chief William McManus attributed the decline to a controversial "hot spot" policing program the department developed in conjunction with UTSA researchers.
What's more, excluding an incident in which 53 migrants died of heat-related causes in the back of an 18-wheeler in June 2022, the number of homicides in San Antonio in the first six months of 2023 is about the same as during the first six months of last year, according to the National Incident-Based Reporting System data.
Excluding the heat-related migrant deaths, San Antonio has tallied 104 homicides in the first half of this year, compared to 115 for the first six months of 2022.
A higher rate of gun ownership under Texas' open-carry law "certainly" contributes to a rise in violent crime, Reamey said. However, he added that it's just one of an array of factors, including poverty and education.