SAN ANTONIO – KSAT obtained records from the Comal County Sheriff’s Office that reveal new details of the interactions with Brandon Poulos, 46, during two standoffs within a 24-hour period.
Poulos, who was in the Navy for 10 years, was in a standoff with Comal deputies on Jan. 21 at his residence.
According to CCSO records, the standoff began as a response to a report of a suicide in progress at his home. Poulos' mother, who made the 911 call, said she was trying to calm her son down, according to the CCSO records.
The situation escalated as Poulos threatened to shoot himself, deputies, his wife and San Antonio police officers. He also threatened to conduct a drive-by shooting at the deputy’s staging area.
During the five-hour standoff, Poulos made statements such as “whoever shows up is getting shot.” Poulos also demanded that deputies position themselves visibly outside his home with their lights on, according to the CCSO records.
CCSO documents state that since Poulos was alone, deputies surrounded the area but did not position themselves directly in front of his house. This decision appeared to further anger Poulos, prompting him to ask dispatch if he needed to harm a neighbor to get a response, according to CCSO documents.
Comal deputies then notified residents in the area of a potential public safety threat. However, surveillance footage did not reveal Poulos leaving the home, according to the CCSO records.
Around 3 a.m. on Jan. 22, Comal deputies on the scene lost contact with Poulos. They believed he was intoxicated and had fallen asleep, CCSO records say.
The deputies surrounding the home were instructed to return to the staging area, which concluded the incident, according to CCSO records.
This led to deputies filing charges as “at large,” and Poulos was not taken into custody that night. The following night would then lead to the shooting in Stone Oak, which resulted in seven SAPD officers injured.
Here’s a timeline of events leading to the shooting in Stone Oak.
>> WHAT WE KNOW: 7 SAPD officers injured in Stone Oak shooting, suspect killed
Poulos arrested by SAPD
Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025: Police and court records show Poulos was arrested Saturday, Jan. 18, after a family violence incident.
According to a preliminary police report, Poulos arrived intoxicated at a home on the Northeast Side. When Poulos was confronted about his intoxication, police said a verbal argument turned physical.
Poulos is accused of assaulting three people: two women and one man, according to the report.
The report states Poulos pushed an 81-year-old woman to the ground, causing her to hit her head.
A 44-year-old woman intervened, and Poulos pushed her to the ground multiple times, police said. The report states that Poulos dragged her by the hair, causing multiple injuries.
An 83-year-old man intervened and Poulos hit him in the face. The 83-year-old suffered multiple injuries, the report stated.
Poulos left the location but was later arrested after his vehicle was found crashed.
He was arrested for one count of assault causing bodily injury of a family member; two counts of injury to an elderly person with intent to cause bodily injury and one count of driving while intoxicated-second offense, records show.
>> What we know about Brandon Poulos, the man accused of shooting 7 SAPD officers in Stone Oak
Released on bond
Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025: Records show Poulos was released on bonds totaling $35,000 the following day:
- $15,000 for each charge of injury to an elderly person
- $2,500 for assault - family member
- $2,500 for driving while intoxicated-second offense
He was given “no contact” orders and was also ordered not to possess or use firearms, according to court records.
Poulos’ cases were referred to a specialty court for veterans. A mental health assessment was also ordered, according to court records.
The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office told KSAT in an unsigned, emailed statement:
“Under Texas Law, a person is entitled to be released on bond unless circumstances exist that prevent that person’s release. It is the duty of the Magistrate Judge to set a bond for the defendant appearing before the Magistrate. The District Attorney’s Office cannot prevent the release of a person in custody requesting a bond except for very limited circumstances that were not present here.”
Bexar County District Attorney's Office
Court issues a protective order
Sunday, Jan. 19: A Comal County spokesperson said a protective order was also issued against Poulos out of the Bexar County Magistrate’s Office on Jan. 19. The order covered several family members whom Poulos was told not to contact.
Standoff with Comal County Sheriff’s Office
Tuesday, Jan. 21; 11:25 p.m.: Poulos had been involved in a tense standoff with Comal County sheriff’s deputies less than 24 hours before the Stone Oak shooting.
According to the Comal County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a distress call at 11:25 p.m. on Tuesday.
Poulos called 911, threatening to die by suicide. He told dispatchers he wanted the call on record because his mother was trying to stop him.
His mother called 911 minutes later, reporting her son was intoxicated and suicidal and had fired a round from a firearm. She also warned deputies that Poulos had threatened to shoot law enforcement officers if they approached his home.
Deputies responded to the home and engaged in an hours-long negotiation with Poulos. Over the course of four hours, Poulos reportedly made more than 30 phone calls to dispatchers, repeatedly threatening to shoot officers if they came near him.
Poulos would demand deputies to position themselves directly in front of his house with their lights on. However, deputies did not, which appeared to have further angered Poulos. This led to him asking dispatch if he needed to harm a neighbor to get a response, according to CCSO records.
Two trained hostage negotiators assisted in trying to de-escalate the situation. Despite their efforts, Poulos remained agitated and highly intoxicated, according to CCSO.
During the incident, deputies issued a reverse 911 alert to warn nearby residents of the potential danger. However, surveillance footage did not show if Poulos left the home, according to the CCSO records.
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 3 a.m.: Communication with Poulos ceased just after 3 a.m. on Jan. 22, prompting deputies to deploy drone technology to monitor the situation safely.
While Poulos did not emerge from the home and no further shots were fired, deputies maintained a precautionary presence in the area. However, deputies believed he fell asleep due to Poulos drinking heavily that night, CCSO records show.
Later Wednesday morning, CCSO discovered that Poulos was under an active protective order and obtained a warrant for his arrest for violating that order.
Poulos violates protective order; warrant issued
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2:21 p.m.: Poulos violated the protective order by going within 200 yards of a residence in Fischer, an unincorporated community in Comal County, a county spokesperson said.
A warrant for his arrest was issued at 2:21 p.m., approximately six hours before the shooting.
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 4 p.m.: Poulos reestablished contact with CCSO. Deputies reported that he sounded sober, cooperative and apologetic, admitting he had been heavily intoxicated the previous night and could not recall many details of the incident.
Poulos' wife contacted CCSO, asking them to come back to her home as a safety precaution.
When they arrived, they discovered Poulos was no longer at the property and found gunshots in the walls, a shattered car window in the garage and spent shell casings from multiple firearms, CCSO said.
Wednesday, Jan. 22, Evening: CCSO was in the process of issuing a Be on the Lookout (BOLO) bulletin when they discovered he was involved in a situation in San Antonio.
Stone Oak Shooting
Wednesday, Jan. 22, approximately 8 p.m.: SAPD responded to a call for a suicide at an apartment complex in the 18700 block of Stone Oak Parkway.
>> Timeline spells out Stone Oak shooting incident that left 7 officers wounded, suspect dead
A preliminary report stated that several teams of officers were approaching the apartment when Poulos opened fire from inside.
Thursday, Jan. 23, approximately 2 a.m.: In an SAPD social media post, Chief William McManus said seven officers were injured in the shooting and Poulos was found dead in an apartment.
Multiple sources told KSAT that Poulos died after he was shot by SAPD’s SWAT team.
Friday, Jan. 24, approximately 2:15 p.m.: The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to KSAT on Friday that Poulos died of multiple gunshot wounds. His death was ruled as a homicide.
Thursday, Feb. 13: U.S. Rep Chip Roy rose alarm about bail policies in Bexar County after Poulos, who has a criminal past, shot at several officers.
Roy used this case to highlight how lenient bail policies can put public safety at risk. He’s questioning District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales on why someone with a criminal history like Poulos was released and is urging action on these policies.
Roy gave Gonzalez a Feb. 26 deadline to respond to his questions. KSAT has reached out to the DA’s office for comment on the letter.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, call 988 or text TALK to 741-741.
You can also reach out to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). To talk with a NAMI HelpLine Specialist, please call 800-950-NAMI (6264).
Related coverage on KSAT:
