On March 16, 2016, 33-year-old Eric Hernandez of San Antonio was fatally shot by two San Antonio Police Department SWAT officers after a predawn standoff on East Pyron Avenue. Police say the incident began around 2 a.m. when Hernandez fired shots at a neighbor’s house. Officers who arrived report attempts at negotiation while Hernandez remained barricaded and armed; the encounter ended when he emerged wielding a firearm and two veteran SWAT officers fired, killing him.

Hernandez had prior contact with police, including an arrest for setting fire to his father’s home after admitting he set his bed on fire and a blaze spread through the residence. His father reportedly felt Hernandez should not have been charged, a detail that family cited when discussing his background. SAPD representatives acknowledged concerns about handling people with possible mental health issues, noting officers receive Crisis Intervention Training and the department has a Mental Health Unit but saying those resources cannot be used when an armed person poses an immediate threat.

The case raises questions about how best to balance immediate public safety with the needs of individuals in crisis during armed confrontations. Does anyone have information about Hernandez’s life, mental health history, or the hours leading up to the March 16 incident?