A man in Texas has been accused of shooting and killing a man he believed had stolen his truck.
The man used an Apple AirTag device to track down his truck to a parking lot nearly 20 miles away from his home, where the vehicle was stolen. He confronted the man inside the vehicle, and an altercation ensued, which ended with his shooting the suspect dead. Police are still investigating the incident, and it is unclear whether the shooter will face charges.
The San Antonio Police Department said they received the stolen vehicle report at around 1 pm on March 29 but the owner found his pickup truck with the alleged thief inside.
Officer Nick Soliz from the San Antonio Police Department, who responded to the scene, advised people to wait for the police rather than to confront suspected thieves themselves. He said that the incident proved that taking such matters into one’s own hands is never safe.
The vehicle’s owner, whom police did not publicly identify, shot the suspected thief, Andrew John Herrera, 44, and killed him.
According to the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s office, Herrera died from being shot in the head. Police said his death was a homicide and the investigation is ongoing.
Responding officers found bullet casings and two cars with visible gunshots. Police did not confirm whether they found a gun in Herrera’s possession.
While it is legal to carry a gun in Texas and to use deadly force to defend oneself from apparent and imminent danger, Officer Soliz cautioned against acting impulsively and without proper training.
The AirTag is a relatively new device that helps people keep track of their personal items. It works by pinging off nearby iPhones and sending the owner’s phone a signal to show its location. While the device is useful for locating personal belongings, its misuse for harmful purposes has raised concerns.
The use of AirTags has recently come under increased scrutiny due to incidents where the device has been used for unwanted tracking and stalking. On the other hand, the tags have helped many people find lost or stolen items, including cars and pets.
