El Paso woman fatally shot by police after pointing gun at security and police
El Paso TX July 6 2019
A woman who became upset over her food stamp benefits threatened her caseworker and pointed a gun at a security officer,
The woman was killed Wednesday in a SWAT standoff sparked by that argument over food stamps at a Texas Health and Human Services office had a pellet gun, police said.
She was fatally shot after she pointed the pellet gun at El Paso police SWAT officers, officials said Thursday.
Christine Venegas, 38, entered the Texas Health and Human Services office, 5150 El Paso Drive, at about 10:18 a.m. Wednesday and began arguing with a caseworker over food stamp benefits, El Paso Police Department officials said.
Venegas then allegedly pulled out what was believed to be a handgun and threatened the caseworker and a security guard.
El Paso police officers responded to the scene and safely evacuated the building, while Venegas barricaded herself inside an office.
The El Paso Police Department’s SWAT, Crisis Management and Crisis Intervention teams responded to the scene and negotiated with Venegas to exit the office.
Venegas walked out of the office at about 3:30 p.m. and confronted officers in the building, officials said.
Officers attempted to use “less-lethal munitions” to subdue Venegas, but they did not stop her, officials said.
Venegas then allegedly raised the weapon at the officers.
An officer then shot Venegas with his patrol rifle, officials said.
Venegas was taken to University Medical Center of El Paso with a gunshot wound. She later died at the hospital.
An investigation determined the weapon Venegas had was a “CO2 cartridge pellet gun bearing a virtually indistinguishable resemblance to a semi-automatic handgun,” officials said.
The officer, whose name has not been released, was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the shooting. This is normal procedure for officers involved in a shooting.
The SWAT team officer who shot Venegas is a 14-year veteran with the El Paso Police Department.
The investigation into the shooting is being conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety Ranger Division and the El Paso Police Department’s Shooting Review Team and Crimes Against Persons unit.
elpasotimes.com
