The Texas Rangers positively identified Jose Alfredo Perez DeLaCruz, 46, as the shooter in an incident that left San Marcos Police Department officer Justin Putnam dead and officers Franco Stewart and Justin Mueller wounded.

The three officers responded to a domestic disturbance call April 18 at the Twin Lake Villas Apartments in San Marcos, when DeLaCruz ambushed them with a rifle. DeLaCruz then killed himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

DeLaCruz was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico and had been in the U.S. since the late 1990s. SMPD said it found no additional criminal record for the shooter, and the case remains active. 

 “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,” Interim Police Chief Bob Klett said. 

Officers Stewart and Mueller have been released from the hospital and rehab facilities and are recovering. Funeral services for officer Putnam have been postponed until COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.