SAN ANTONIO – The actions of Texas DPS Trooper Apolonio Gomez, who fatally shot Luis Navarro in Converse last April, are under scrutiny as he defends his actions in response to a wrongful death lawsuit.
Attorneys representing Trooper Gomez have filed a response in federal court, claiming that the shooting of Navarro was justified as Navarro aggressively advanced on him and never surrendered. However, Navarro’s family disputes this, citing a witness video showing Navarro with his hands up.
Gomez, who has not been charged, faces criticism following a prior incident where he was suspended for a pursuit that crossed into Mexico in March 2023, violating multiple DPS policies.
During the chase, Gomez followed a suspect across the U.S.-Mexico border with his firearm drawn, causing diplomatic concerns. An investigation revealed that Gomez may have suffered from “tunnel vision” during the pursuit, leading to a 10-day suspension without pay.
The wrongful death lawsuit against Gomez will continue in federal court as the controversy surrounding the incident persists.
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