Category: San Antonio News

San Antonio police are investigating a shooting and kidnapping that started at a barbershop on Thursday night.

The victim, a 36-year-old man, told police that he was at the unnamed barbershop when three men walked in and started to assault him.

He was then shot, tied up and thrown into the backseat of a pickup truck, he told police. He was then taken to the 500 block of Gembler Road on the East Side, where he called the police.

SAPD said officers went to the location just before 9 p.m. and found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds.

He was taken to the hospital, and his condition is unknown.

The three assailants are unknown at this time. The investigation is ongoing, police said.

Read also:

Search for missing 3-year-old Lina Khil enters fifth day. Here’s everything we know.Man, 46, accused of sexually assaulting woman while intoxicated arrested, affidavit says

Work wardrobes have been sitting mostly idle since March 2020 when the pandemic hit. With many still working remotely, now may be the time to cash in on some of those office outfits that are just hanging in the closet.

CNBC recently took a look at ways you can turn items in your closet into cash.

Online marketplaces make the process easy.

Tradesy, Poshmark and ThredUp are all options for selling your clothing. If you rather do things in person, consignment shops are an option. Those items are usually priced anywhere from 25-75% of their original cost.

A good place to start is the website for the Association of Resale Professionals. There you can search for a store or even the type of merchandise by zip code.

Garage sales are also an option but you will need to offer a wide array of items in order to attract a range of buyers.

One big plus for garage sales is that they offer the chance to capitalize on shoppers’ impulsive urges. People may stop to browse and end up leaving with unexpected treasures.

Read more stories wrapping 2021 here.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dominated headlines this year in the San Antonio area, but there were several other stories that caught the attention of KSAT.com readers.

From the winter storm and the Astroworld tragedy to new Texas laws and trash diving in the River Walk, these are the stories y’all read most this year.

1. YouTuber gets city’s blessing to dive along San Antonio River Walk after police stop first attempt

A popular diver on YouTube returned to San Antonio this year to dredge “treasures” from the San Antonio River legally after getting stopped by police for attempting it in 2020. Brandon Jordan is an outdoorsman who has attracted a YouTube following with nearly three million subscribers. His dives into the San Antonio River were so successful, he created two videos about his adventures. Read more about what Jordan found in the depths of the river here.

2. Family shocked to find float covered in invasive Zebra mussels at Lake LBJ

There are more than two dozen lakes in Texas that are classified as being infested with an invasive species known as zebra mussels, including Lake Lyndon B. Johnson. In July, a homeowner in the Kingsland area shared a photo to social media showing a float her family keeps in the water at Lake LBJ that’s completely covered in zebra mussels. You can read more and check out the photo here!

3. Nine new laws that take effect Sept. 1 in Texas

A total of 666 new laws went into effect on Sept. 1 in Texas. Some major law changes were inspired by the coronavirus pandemic and February’s winter storm while others were related to guns, abortion, body-worn cameras, education and the use of medicinal marijuana. We broke down the nine new laws that received the most attention here.

4. Yes, Ted Cruz flew to Cancun during Texas’ winter disaster

KSAT.com was the first news outlet to report on the photos circulating on Twitter that appeared to show Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on his way to Cancun, Mexico, during the state’s historic and deadly disaster in February.

Cruz would later confirm he flew to Cancun and returned a day later. The senator was blasted for leaving the state he represents in Congress for a tropical paradise amid a historic power and water crisis that affected nearly every Texan. In an interview with ABC News, Cruz said he took the trip with his two daughters and his wife, who wanted to get out of the cold weather for the weekend. Read more here.

5. This is what happened at the Travis Scott concert and everything we know so far about Astroworld

Ten people died and dozens were injured during a chaotic night at a Travis Scott concert called Astroworld. An estimated 50,000 people were in attendance at the Houston festival in November. A crowd surge at the start of Scott’s show trapped dozens of concert-goers leading to deaths and injuries. Three San Antonio families are suing Scott after the deadly event. You can read more here.

6. Social media video shows brawl between Spurs and Rockets fans in Houston

The I-10 rivalry between the Spurs and Rockets got a little heated in the stands in February when social media videos showed a brawl between opposing-team fans. The fight broke out in the stands during a game with multiple people involved. It’s unclear what led to the incident and if anyone was injured. You can read more and see the videos here.

7. Officer shoots “active shooter” at San Antonio airport, chief says

A San Antonio park police officer shot a man who opened fire at the airport in April. Police chief William McManus said the suspect, later identified as Joe Gomez, 46, was seen driving the wrong way in the airport’s Terminal B. Gomez had opened fire from a highway ramp earlier in the afternoon before making his way to the airport.

The park police officer confronted the man who immediately got out of his car and opened fire at the officer and the building. The officer returned fire, hitting Gomez twice. Moments later, Gomez turned the gun on himself. An autopsy from the Bexar County Medical Examiner revealed that Gomez fatal gunshot wound was self-inflicted. No one else was injured. You can read more about this incident here.

8. ERCOT initiates rolling outages during winter storm

In the midst of the devastating winter storm, ERCOT, the state’s power grid operator, initiated rolling power outages in the early Monday morning hours of Feb. 15 to protect and reduce demand on the state’s electric grid. That left millions of Texans literally in the dark and cold for long amounts of time with temperatures dropping throughout the week. ERCOT directed local utilities to begin restoring power to thousands of Texans Tuesday afternoon, but many were still left without power for days. Read more here.

9. Teen arrested after Snapchat video shows her stealing necklace from dead man, BCSO says

A teenager was arrested after Bexar County sheriff’s deputies said she was seen on a Snapchat video in July stealing a necklace from the body of a man who committed suicide. An arrest warrant affidavit stated that Bethany Martin, 17, and a female friend, 16, discovered the man’s body in Southwest Bexar County. One video showed Martin and her friend near the man’s body, and another video showed Martin removing a chain and medallion from his neck, according to the affidavit. You can read more about this arrest here.

10. Were your plants damaged by the freeze? Here’s what to do next.

While many of us had more pressing issues during the February deep freeze, there was a significant toll on landscaping. KSAT Weather Authority Meteorologist Justin Horne spoke to a horticulturist with Texas A&M Agrilife in San Antonio about how to salvage some of those plants and trees that quickly went from green to brown. You can check out the full story here.

The holidays are a time for people to reflect and appreciate what they have.

For Alana Castaneda, that’s more true than ever this year.

Castaneda shared her story of survival after being shot in the face during a brutal carjacking at the Alamo Quarry Market in early November.

Almost two months later, she’s sharing her recovery story and her changed outlook on life.

“You’re the very first one to actually see me right after I got out of the hospital, Castaneda said.

We sat down back at her apartment complex like last time, but this time we were outside.

“The sun shining on me,” Castaneda said.

There are some obvious differences this time.

“I’m doing a lot better. Slowly but surely, but much, much better,” Castaneda said.

Castaneda’s face has changed, the brown is coming out in her eyes and her stitches are finally out.

Even her doctors are impressed with her fast recovery.

“My doctor said ‘If you want to start working out and doing light workouts and you can go ahead,’” Castaneda said.

Right now, her focus is on physical therapy, working to loosen the scar tissue on her jaw from the gunshot. Then she can open it fully.

“I have to like, sit there and it’s very painful, but I have to like, push through it because I want to be able to, like, bite into a burger or a sandwich someday,” Castaneda said with a chuckle.

When she’s healed further, she’ll have another surgery to fix problems her doctor couldn’t get to initially.

“A little piece of bone that’s sitting in my sinuses, and when I like moved my jaw, my eyeball moves,” Castaneda said. It’s not just the physical side. Her mental health journey is another mountain she’s climbing.

Thursday was the first time Alana has been back to Whole Foods since Nov. 2. She wanted to see the woman she says saved her life that fateful night.

“Just to see her again. That would be my Christmas present,” Castaneda said.

Now that she’s getting her life back, she says she’s approaching it differently by slowing down.

”I’m readjusting and my life has completely changed. So I kind of want to see what this one’s all about,” Castaneda said. “The most meaningful thing is spending time with your friends and family. I mean, that’s life.”

Read also:

Police identify suspect in shooting, attempted carjacking at Alamo Quarry Market‘I’m still here and I’m alive’: Survivor of Alamo Quarry Market shooting shares story of survivalSuspect in Alamo Quarry Market carjacking linked to other similar crimes, police say

A Devine woman and her family finally met the baby whose life she had a part in saving by becoming a living organ donor.

The 10-month-old child was in desperate need of a liver, but doctors said finding a pediatric match would be challenging.

Keri James says it started with a tug in her heart after reading a newspaper article about the need for a liver donor for the local baby in her Devine community.

“What better way to show God’s love than to an innocent child?” she said. After a conversation with her husband and two children, James decided to register to become a donor.

A donor for the specific child James had signed up to help was no longer needed, but she knew she could make a difference in someone else’s life. And a few months later, she did.

Marley, the 10-month-old child, was born with a blocked bile duct, and without a liver transplant, she wouldn’t survive more than two months from the time of her diagnosis.

Marlene Trinidad, Marley’s mother, said it was such a scary diagnosis she felt her world was falling apart. But a week later, doctors had a liver ready. “I hope others hear about the miracles that can happen with the simple act of organ donations,” Trinidad said.

A few months after the surgery, Marley is acting like a normal baby. On Friday, she had the chance to meet her donor for the first time.

James held Marley in her arms during their introduction.

“It’s just a beautiful little baby that just I can’t believe that I was privileged to have a part in and helping her get healthy again,” James said.

Dr. Danielle Fritze, with the University Health Transplant Institute, said finding a match for infants like Marley is always more complicated.

“The smaller the child, the harder it is because, in addition to looking for a healthy liver, we’re looking for a liver that will fit inside a small, you know, a small baby or an infant,” she said.

Fritze says celebrating donors like James is important.

“This is the best of humanity. This is generosity and kindness and love, and this expression that saved a child’s life,” Fritze said.

Trinidad says it has also inspired her to register to be a donor and someday give the same gift to another family.

“You give life and second chances. I would like to have the opportunity someday to donate and to give someone else life,” she said.

Both Marley and James are doing well in their recovery. James says she’s grateful for her friends and employer that supported her and her family through the entire process.

If you would like information on how to be a donor, visit the Living Donation page on the University Health website.

ALSO ON KSAT.COM

Woman’s story raises awareness for growing need of minority organ donors

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise this week, with some concern amid the upcoming holidays and unanswered questions about the omicron variant.

Dr. Ruth Berggren, an infectious disease specialist with UT Health San Antonio, joined the KSAT Q&A on Thursday to discuss new developments about the variant and to answer questions concerning the virus.

Metro Health reported four new COVID-19 deaths in Bexar County on Wednesday, totaling 4,975 since the pandemic began. The department said there were 376 new COVID-19 cases, with a 7-day rolling average of 319.

“If you don’t feel good, if you feel achy, if you have a scratchy sore throat, some congestion, you feel like the flu might be coming on, assume this could be COVID. Go get a rapid test. Put a mask on,” Berggren told anchors Myra Arthur and Stephania Jimenez during the Q&A on Thursday’s 6 O’Clock News.

There are 200 patients in area hospitals, with 77 in the ICU and 44 on ventilators. There are 13% of staffed beds available and 69% of ventilators available in our area hospitals.

The county’s risk level is “mild.”

Metro Health reports 1,622,994 people have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 1,342,419 are fully vaccinated.

On Friday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff urged the public to get vaccinated and be mindful of coronavirus spread during the holidays.

See more of today’s COVID-19 statistics and city resources for the public here.

When it comes to the new omicron variant or any of those that came previously, Berggren said, “The differences are subtle, and people shouldn’t spend a lot of time trying to discern ‘Which one do I have?’”

Some people may confuse allergies symptoms with those of COVID-19. Berggren said it can sometimes be tough to distinguish between the two initially.

“If you know your body and know what you feel like when you’re having allergies, and that’s all you’ve got, then you probably don’t need to go get a test,” she said. “But, if in addition to your usual allergies you are feeling body aches, if you have a fever, if you have an unusual headache, anything different… go get a test.”

Watch the full KSAT Q&A with Dr. Berggren in the video player above.

After seeing its request for city bond money shrink from $25 million down to $5 million, the Brackenridge Park Conservancy hopes San Antonio City Council members will reverse course and provide more funding for a massive renovation of the Sunken Garden Theater.

The conservancy is pushing for a $62 million overhaul of the city-owned, 1930s-era theater, located next to the Japanese Tea Garden in Brackenridge Park. Plans include new facilities, professional lighting and sound systems, and a sweeping roof that covers the stage and expanded seating area.

The conservancy has an agreement with the city to develop the venue, though the question of who would operate it once renovations are complete has yet to be determined.

The group’s incoming president, Nicolas Hollis, hopes the renovations could attract more performers to the venue.

“Last year, 89 acts bypassed San Antonio that went through Texas to the other three cities. So we’re not seeing the artists that people in San Antonio want to see,” Hollis said.

To fund the project, the conservancy is relying on a mix of public and private dollars — with the goal being $25 million from the city, $25 million from Bexar County, and $12 million of private money.

But the conservancy says it’s vital to get the city’s commitment on the books.

“Obviously, it’s a city facility. Everyone’s going to ask, ‘Well, you know, what’s the city putting in?’ first,” Hollis said. “So it’s extremely important for them to step up to the plate and to be part of the, you know — part of the first initial funding.”

The conservancy requested $25 million from the upcoming $1.2 billion, 2022-2027 bond program, but city staff recommended only funding $20 million of that request at first.

After an initial city council discussion, during which members questioned the amount of money ear-marked for “citywide” projects like the theater, staff members cut their recommendation in half — down to $10 million.

Since city staff also have plans to provide an additional $15 million in funding through the Midtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), the conservancy was fine with the lower recommendation, since it would still add up to the $25 million the group was looking for from the city.

However, a citizen committee charged with making its own recommendations for bond funding decided to cut the Sunken Garden Theater’s bond request in half again — down to $5 million.

But that won’t be the final word. The city council is in charge of setting the final list of projects before they’re baked into the bond propositions and put in front of voters.

Though he said the conservancy was “very thankful” for the $5 million, Hollis hopes the council decides to disregard the committee’s recommendation for the project and raise its allocation back up to $10 million.

If not, a $5 million cut to a $62 million project wouldn’t be a fatal blow, but it isn’t pocket change either.

“What it does is it means that we have to find those funds somewhere else, or there are things that we most possibly might not be able to do,” Hollis said. “And we want to create a world class theater, and that icing is, you know — that $5 million creates a lot of icing to add to the real amenities on top.”

The city council is expected to review the list of committee recommendations for bond funding on Jan. 12 and vote on a final list Feb. 10. The six resulting bond propositions will be on the May 7 ballot.

The reward for information that leads to the arrest of a suspect involved in the disappearance of 3-year-old Lina Khil continues to increase.

Crime Stoppers of San Antonio offered a guaranteed $50,000 reward on Thursday for information that leads to an arrest.

This reward, combined with a $100,000 cash reward from the Islamic Center of San Antonio, totals $150,000 if the tip helps lead authorities to the young girl, and an arrest.

The search for Lina began just four days ago after she disappeared on Monday evening at the Villas Del Cabo complex, in the 9400 block of Fredericksburg Road.

The FBI has since joined SAPD on the search, as it’s drawn both local and national attention.

Lina was last seen wearing a black jacket, a red dress and black shoes.

Police continued to search areas around the apartment complex Thursday, and have requested the help of an FBI rapid response team, which could provide officers with additional resources.

Below is the latest information available about the search for Lina.

SAPD asks for public’s help, tips to aid in search for Lina Khil

San Antonio police are asking for specific people to reach out to its Missing Persons Unit to help aid in the search for Lina.

Any residents who were at the Villas del Cabo Apartment Complex, which is located at 9400 Fredericksburg Road, between 4:30 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. on Monday, are urged to contact SAPD at 210-207-7660 with “actionable tips.”

Also, anyone who spoke with Lina or her family at any time on Monday is urged to contact police as soon as possible.

“No detail is too small as we continue to search for Lina,” SAPD said in a release.

Although the police presence at the family’s home may look different as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day approach, the department said their resources to aid in the search for Lina are being redirected “to be as proactive as possible.”

Police are treating the disappearance as a missing person case, not an abduction

Though San Antonio police are asking the FBI to deploy its child abduction rapid response team to aid officers in their search, McManus clarified that investigators do not have any reason to believe Lina was abducted.

“If it were an abduction, we could be looking for an individual or have evidence of a child being abducted,” McManus said on Wednesday. “Right now, we don’t have any of that. That may change, but right now, it’s still a missing person.”

Another reason they are treating it as a missing person case is that there is not currently a suspect, he said.

SAPD has used canines in the search, which is still contained to the San Antonio area.

But the FBI’s rapid response team has resources that the department doesn’t, McManus said.

“If we have video that’s not real clear, they can work on their end to clarify any video footage,” he said. “They have resources, they have boots on the ground here that are helping us canvas the area.”

Officers will continue searching areas surrounding the apartment complex on Thursday, but as time passes, so do their chances of finding Lina.

“The longer the time lapses, the less hopeful we become,” McManus said.

Authorities sent a second AMBER Alert for Lina on Wednesday evening. The first AMBER Alert was sent to people’s phones late Monday night.

Lina and her family are refugees from Afghanistan

Margaret Constantino with the Center for Refugee Services told KSAT Tuesday that the child’s family is among the Afghanistan refugees in San Antonio.

At least 1,300 people from Afghanistan have come through the Center for Refugee Services for resettling here.

While she knows very little about the family, including when exactly they came to the United States, Constantino says any missing child is everyone’s missing child.

“And like any big family with lots and lots of little kids, all of these children are precious to us,” she said. “Knowing this community, they’re very close-knit. So people will be out there beating the bushes, looking for this child.”

Lina disappeared at a playground

Lina was at a playground at the apartment complex with her mother and other children between 5-6 p.m. Monday when her mother left and returned to find her daughter missing, the chief said in a news conference Tuesday morning.

It is unclear exactly how long the mother was away, but McManus said she returned a “short time later.” McManus said the girl wasn’t left alone and there were other kids at the playground, which is open within the complex.

The family reported the child missing around 7:15 p.m., and an AMBER Alert was issued.

Officers searched the area by foot and air Monday but did not locate her. SAPD continued their search Tuesday morning and asked the FBI for assistance.

Officers went door by door to each apartment — there are under 300 units in the complex — to search for Lina.

Officers also searched for video, checked cars and dumpsters, and recorded license plates due to the “suspicious nature of the disappearance,” he added.

“We have every available asset in the police department working on the case right now,” he said, adding that “we are sparing no assets or resources.”

So far, the mother and residents have been cooperative, McManus said.

“Nobody comes and goes without talking to a police officer,” he said.

Anyone with information about her disappearance is asked to call SAPD’s missing person unit at 210-207-7660.

Read more:

$75,000 reward offered for information on missing 3-year-old Lina KhilParents worried about safety of their own children after Lina Khil, 3, vanished from playgroundSan Antonio police using ‘every available asset’ in search for missing 3-year-old Lina Khil, chief saysSan Antonio police seek missing 3-year-old girl last seen on Northwest SideMedina County Sheriff’s Office searching for wanted man, three children

Are you tired of looking at the mall for that hard-to-find gift? Then it could be worth a short drive just south of downtown to Pica Pica Plaza in the 900 block of SE Military Drive, which supports a variety of San Antonio small businesses.

Best known simply as Pica Pica, more than 70 small, independently owned shops are located inside a large building next door to its event center.

“It’s going to be very rare that I find somebody that has something else like it,” said shopper Monica Mendoza about the purchases she makes at Pica Pica.

Her daughter Rose said, “You can find things that really relate to the person that you’re shopping for as opposed to like what’s the trend nowadays.”

From quinceanera dresses to electronics, pop-it fidget toys to popular action figures, and much more, Pica Pica also has a food court and live music on the weekends.

Some of the vendors said they would have even more to choose from, but persistent supply chain problems have delayed shipments ordered months ago since much of the merchandise is imported.

Andy Madhani, who owns an electronics store, said his orders are stuck at the Port of Houston.

“Can’t get no drivers, no 18 wheelers. They won’t even let no ships dock at the port right now because there’s no drivers to drive it and bring it to us,” Madhani said.

If his customers can’t find what they want, Madhani said they look elsewhere.

He said, “Who gets hurt? The small businessman.”

Jose Gutierrez, who sells comic books and popular action figures at his shop, was surprised to see the new Spiderman action figures had arrived in time for the new movie. Gutierrez said he’d been told to expect the shipment next month.

Adding to the uncertainty, Gutierrez said he orders his merchandise from the same distributors used by the big box stores months in advance.

“They get it first, and then we’re left to wait for a second or third shipment or whatever trickles out, or they just cancel it,” he said.

Yet, that has nothing to do with the supply chain, Gutierrez said. It’s always been that way, he said.

He also said the bigger stores get the more significant discounts.

Gutierrez said as a result of that and higher shipping costs, his merchandise is a dollar or two higher.

“But it’s worth it,” he said. “Keeps us alive.”

When The Matrix came out in 1999, it was a groundbreaking film, both for its storytelling and its visual effects, which introduced the then-novel “bullet time.” Its subsequent two sequels were met with diminishing enthusiasm, with The Matrix Revolutions being almost universally viewed as a colossal disappointment. So there were high expectations that the series’ reboot, The Matrix Resurrections, would not only wash away the bad taste of the third film, but also give the…