BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar provided an update on the two injured deputies who were involved in a shootout with a 38-year-old man during a domestic violence call on Sunday.
One of the deputies was identified as Nathan Sigala, who has been with BCSO since 2012 and has been on patrol since 2021.
The other deputy, Nicholas Zinni, has been with the sheriff’s office since 2023 and on patrol since 2024.
The suspect, whom the deputies shot and killed after he fired a shot at them around 8:30 a.m. Sunday in the 700 block of Tecumseh Drive, was identified as Jose Arley Fernandez Solano, 38, a Costa Rican national.
The sheriff said that deputies had been called out to the home where the shootout happened at least 22 times since January 2024.
Salazar said Solano had an extensive criminal history and numerous domestic violence-related arrests.
Before the shootout, Salazar said that Solano had charges of assault with bodily injury – family and injury to a child. Law enforcement officers had attempted to locate and arrest Solano but had been unable to find him.
Day of the shooting
Deputies were called to the home after a woman told BCSO that her ex-boyfriend had entered her home without permission, Salazar said. She said Solano was making threats against her and her children.
The sheriff said that BCSO knew Solano had been armed with a rifle and a pistol, and Solano had been making threats to kill himself or responding deputies if law enforcement was called.
The woman concealed herself and kept her children out of harm’s way before calling law enforcement.
Sigala was the first deputy to make contact with Solano through a door that was partially cracked, Salazar said.
Deputies were unable to see Solano’s hand, and something prompted them to push the door. Salazar said a struggle could be heard on the body camera footage, and Solano pulled out a handgun, which was believed to be stolen, before firing one shot.
The one shot went through Sigala’s hand and into Zinni’s hip, which then exited Zinni’s buttocks, Salazar said.
Both deputies shot about three rounds each and were able to get Solano to the ground, killing him, Salazar said.
The sheriff said the gunfight all happened in the span of three seconds.
A third deputy began first aid on Zinni, while Sigala applied a tourniquet to himself. At the same time, the third deputy called dispatch to report what happened and let them know that a suspect was down and had been handcuffed after the fact, according to the sheriff.
The deputies were taken to University Hospital, and Zinni was released Sunday night. Sigala underwent hand surgery on Monday and is expected to be released later in the day, Salazar said.
Both deputies will be placed on administrative leave for some time until they are cleared by medical professionals to return to patrol, per BCSO policies.
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If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.
If it’s an emergency, text or call 911. For wrap-around services including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.