Texas Rangers identify man who killed San Marcos police officer, injured two others

SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Texas Rangers have positively identified the man they say shot and killed a San Marcos police officer and injured two others.

Alfredo Perez Delacruz (SMPD)

The Rangers say Jose Alfredo Perez DeLaCruz, 46, was the person who shot and killed Officer Justin Putnam and wounded officers Franco Stewart and Justin Mueller on the evening of April 18. The officers were responding to a 9-1-1 call for assistance at the Twin Lake Villas Apartments in southeast San Marcos. DeLaCruz ambushed the officers with a rifle while wearing body armor and then killed himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

DeLaCruz was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico and had been in the US since the late 1990s, says the Texas Rangers, who added that no additional criminal record for DeLaCruz has been located.

“We continue to extend our thanks and appreciation to the Texas Rangers for their diligent work on this case and to our neighboring law enforcement jurisdictions and the community for their support and assistance as our SMPD family recovers from this tremendous loss,” said Interim Police Chief Bob Klett.

RELATED: San Marcos Police Officer returns home after recovering from gunshot wound

Both Stewart and Mueller have been released from the hospital and rehab facilities and are recovering, says the San Marcos Police Department. Funeral services for Officer Putnam have been postponed until after COVID restrictions are further lifted. 

Tax-exempt donations for the wounded officers and for Putnam's family may be submitted online. Donations may also be mailed to San Marcos Police Dept., 2300 S. IH 35, San Marcos, TX 78666, ATTN: Tammy Strakos. Please make checks payable to SMCPAAA.

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