Detectives recovered a handgun and questioned the child’s parents after calls came from inside and outside the residence.
SAN ANTONIO, TX — A 4-year-old boy died Monday after being shot inside a home on the far Northwest Side, police said, prompting a homicide investigation that began around 3 p.m. on the 10200 block of Windstone Creek and continued into the evening.
Authorities said the child was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead after officers found him wounded inside the residence. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the boy’s parents were the only adults present when officers arrived and that both were detained for questioning. Investigators recovered what appeared to be a handgun from the home. Detectives are working to determine whether the shooting was accidental or intentional as they process the scene and interview witnesses. The death comes as the department’s homicide and crime scene units examine physical evidence and recordings from multiple 911 calls to establish a clear timeline.
Officers were dispatched after two separate calls — one made from inside the house and one from a person outside — reported a gunshot just after 3 p.m., McManus said. When police entered, the child’s father, a man in his 50s, was attempting lifesaving measures. Medics transported the boy to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The mother, a woman in her 40s, and the father were escorted to waiting patrol cars and taken to a police facility. “We’re in the early stages and we don’t know exactly what happened,” McManus said at the scene, adding that the department would release updates once detectives confirmed key details.
Police said the handgun was recovered from inside the residence, though they did not specify where it was found or who owned it. No charges were immediately filed Monday night, and officials said it remained unknown whether the firearm discharged while being handled by a child or an adult. Detectives planned to canvass the cul-de-sac and speak with neighbors along Windstone Creek and Limestone Hill to learn what they saw or heard before and after the shot. Investigators also reviewed whether any prior calls for service had been made to the address; as of Monday evening, police said they were not aware of earlier incidents at the home.
The far Northwest Side neighborhood where the shooting occurred is a cluster of single-family homes near commuter routes on the city’s edge. Several residents who gathered behind police tape said they heard sirens and saw cruisers arrive within minutes. One neighbor described a heavy response that included crime scene technicians and supervisors, a sign that detectives expected to work the location for hours as daylight faded. Police closed portions of the street while they photographed rooms, collected shell casings and secured the recovered pistol for ballistics analysis, a standard step that can show the path of a bullet and whether other rounds were fired.
As the investigation moved forward, police emphasized procedure: identify all people present, separate them for interviews and compare those statements against 911 recordings and physical evidence inside the home. Detectives also planned to seek any home security video that might capture arrivals or departures on the block before the gunfire. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause and manner of death. Police said the parents were expected to be interviewed by homicide detectives, with the results forwarded to the district attorney’s office for review. Any charging decisions would come after those steps and a review of forensic reports.
By early evening, investigators had not publicly identified the child. Police said that would occur after the medical examiner confirmed the boy’s identity and next of kin notifications were complete. Several neighbors left small stuffed animals near the curb as officers continued their work. “We recognize the profound loss here,” McManus said, noting that updates would be provided once investigators verified the sequence of events. The chief did not specify a timeframe for the next briefing, but he said additional information would be released after interviews and scene processing concluded.
Police remained on Windstone Creek into the night to finish documenting the home and collecting evidence. The medical examiner’s findings and detectives’ interviews are expected to guide the next steps, including any potential charges or additional searches. Authorities said the first formal update on the case could come after lab results and statements are compiled this week. As of late Monday, the investigation was active, and officers kept a perimeter around the residence while families in the neighborhood returned from work and school.
Author note: Last updated December 9, 2025.