Melissa Ann Perez, 46, was fatally shot by San Antonio police late on June 23, 2023, after officers responded to reports that a woman was cutting wires to a fire alarm at an apartment complex. Officers encountered Perez at her apartment; she appeared agitated and was reported to be wielding a hammer. Body camera footage shows officers trying to persuade her to come out. Police say Perez threw a glass candlestick and swung a hammer at them, and the officers fired multiple shots through a window, striking her.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the officers’ actions were not consistent with department de-escalation and use-of-force policies. Three officers — Sgt. Alfred Flores, Officer Eleazar Alejandro, and Officer Nathaniel Villalobos — were arrested and charged with murder, suspended without pay, taken into custody, and later released on bond. The San Antonio Police Department and the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office are reviewing the circumstances.

What additional details about the moments before the shooting might clarify whether the officers’ response followed policy, and can anyone who witnessed the scene provide more information?