One for the good guys

[SA-XD40]

Thank god i live in Texas.

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By Graeme Zielinski - Express-News The shooting death of a 28-year-old man Tuesday afternoon at a Northwest Side apartment complex by a California-based soldier on leave to visit his family appears to be justified, authorities said Wednesday as new details emerged about the incident.

According to a police report and a police spokesman, Joe Rios, the slain man, Rocky Bernal, appeared to have been casing the back porch of the soldier's mother's apartment in the Vista Meadows complex in the 1100 block of Callaghan when a confrontation occurred between the two men.

The name of the soldier, who is in his early 20s, was removed from a police report provided to the San Antonio Express-News because he was not being charged in the killing, Rios said.

“He has been very cooperative,” Rios said.

He said that, according to witnesses, Bernal had a history of break-ins at the complex. On Tuesday, barely an hour after the death, Police Chief William McManus said it was believed that the victim belonged to a gang.

After the confrontation, Rios said, the soldier tried to return to his mother's apartment and Bernal continued to advance on him.

“According to witnesses, the (soldier) said several times for (Bernal) to stop coming at him,” Rios said.

According to the police report, Bernal was shot six times after it appeared that he was reaching into his waistband for a weapon, leading the soldier to fear for his safety. The soldier had a permit to carry the Glock .40-caliber handgun he used in the shooting, Rios said.

After the shooting, the soldier asked a witness to call police and waited at the front gate of the complex for them.

According to an Army spokesman, the soldier is assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Irwin, Calif.