CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Texas Rangers are investigating a shooting that took place overnight in Alice where a Alice police officer shot a 21-year-old man who was allegedly about to stab a woman holding a baby in her arms.
Alice Police Chief Eden Garcia tells 3NEWS that the four-year veteran officer is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of that Texas Ranger investigation into the shooting.
The chief says the incident happened inside a home at 520 East Fourth Street.
He said officers were called to the home at 11:23 p.m. Thursday on a domestic violence call from someone who was in the house.
A girlfriend and boyfriend were arguing in a back bedroom when police got there.
Garcia says the boyfriend, 21-year-old Gabriel Rodriguez, was about to stab his girlfriend who had a baby in her arms.
He added that Rodriguez had allegedly threatened to kill anyone who came into the bedroom.
"Officers proceeded into the home with caution, went in to the back bedroom, opened the door," Garcia said. "They saw the individual with a knife in his hand; it appeared he was going to lunge at the female who also had a baby in her hands. Officers responded, fired their service revolver. You know we’re very fortunate that we have a great group of officers. They will respond, they will take action."
Rodriguez was taken to Spohn Alice Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg, he was treated and released. He was then taken to the Jim Wells County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The jail was just one block from the crime scene on Fourth Street.
He remains behind bars on a $325,000 bond. Garcia mentioned that Rodriguez was already wearing an ankle monitor but wasn't sure what kind of trouble the 21-year-old had gotten into previously.