Local News

San Antonio Police Officer Executed: War on Police Escalating

By  | 
Tony Maples Photography

 

Sunday, November 20, 2016, a San Antonio Police Officer was executed with no warning in an ambush style attack. Around 11:40 a.m., SAPD Detective Benjamin Marconi, 50, stopped a vehicle near the front of the San Antonio Police Headquarters at South Santa Rosa Avenue and West Nueva Street close to downtown for a moving violation.

As he sat in his patrol vehicle writing the ticket, a black Mitsubishi Galant with custom rims pulled to a stop behind him. A black male exited the Galant, walked up to the patrol car, and shot Detective Marconi in the head. The shooter then leaned in the vehicle’s open driver’s window and shot Det. Marconi again. The suspect returned to his vehicle, drove through the SAPD parking lot, and fled the scene.

An EMS crew transported Det. Marconi to SAMMC where he died of his wounds. Detective Marconi, a 20-year veteran, leaves behind two children.

Mitsubishi Galant

Photo: Facebook/San Antonio Police Department

The San Antonio Police Department has arrested a suspect, however, they are not providing any further information at this time.

Earlier, the San Antonio Police Department released this video of the suspect on their Facebook page:

The suspect vehicle, pictured above, is a black 2009-2015 four-door Mitsubishi Galant with black and chrome five-star rims and tinted windows.

Anyone with any information regarding the murder of Detective Marconi is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP. Callers to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous.

San Antonio Blue Line

Photo: Facebook/San Antonio Police Department

Breaking 911 has quoted Chief McManus as saying, “This is everyone’s worst nightmare – everyone’s worst nightmare. We never want to see this happen again.”

This war on law enforcement does not seem to be waning. Det. Marconi is one of four ambushed Sunday across the nation along with a 46-year-old officer in St. Louis, Missouri, who was shot in the face, an officer with the Gladstone, Missouri Police Department near Kansas City – also shot, and a Sanibel, Florida officer who was shot in the shoulder during a traffic stop, treated for his injuries, and released.

According to Blue Lives Matter, Detective Benjamin Marconi makes the 7th officer shot and killed in Texas this year.

“We ask that all Texans join us in praying for the officer’s loved ones as they deal with the aftermath of this unimaginable tragedy,” Texas governor Gregg Abbott said. “Attacks against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated in Texas and must be met with swift justice, which is why I look forward to signing my Police Protection Act into law – making targeted attacks against law enforcement a hate crime.”

End of Watch Detective Marconi

Photo: Facebook/San Antonio Police Department

If you wish to send condolences or to obtain funeral arrangements, please contact the following agency:

Police Chief William McManus
San Antonio Police Department
315 S Santa Rosa Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78207

Phone: (210) 207-7579

Or you may leave a memorial message on the Officer Down Memorial Page.