Family asking for answers after officer involved shooting

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - An investigation is underway in an alleged officer involved shooting in Zapata that left one man dead.

KGNS spoke to the family of the man who was shot about the incident that happened over the weekend.

The family of Angel Degollado is devastated.

They say Angel was shot and killed this weekend after an encounter with an officer from the Zapata Sheriff’s Office.

His mother-in-law is now speaking out and wants to know what happened on Sunday morning that led to this tragedy.

“We have million questions and not even one answer.”

Esmeralda Jaime is speaking out after her son-in-law Angel Degollado was shot and killed on Sunday morning.

Angel, a father of a toddler and one on the way, had gone out Saturday night and came back home the next day after a night out drinking.

Esmeralda said she and her daughter tried to put Angel to sleep but he stepped out of the home.

It was the last time she saw her son in law.

“He went outside. I got out of the room and saw him walking out of the house. And a bit later, I was getting called out that the police had shot him.”

Esmeralda says her daughter called the Zapata Sheriff’s Office to help Angel, who was in distress.

“He had a knife and was trying to hurt himself. He was texting with my daughter, sending messages like ‘goodbye to her and the kids.’ So she got scared. He told her to please send help to him because he was scared for what was about to happen.”

It’s unclear what happened when officers responded and met with Angel, but shots were fired.

According to a family member at the scene, she says officers had tried to stop Angel.

“They tased him,” said Esmeralda. “But when they tased him he went to the floor. Plus he had a heart problem, ever since he was a baby. In our opinion, tasing him was enough.”

Esmeralda says she will miss Angel, especially the joy he brought to her family.

“He was happy, happy person and awesome with the kids. Everyone that knew him is saying, ‘why?’”

She says the case needs to be investigated to avoid another tragedy like this from ever happening again.

“We want people to know what kind of police we have here in Zapata. The way I see it, we do not have somebody we can trust. They don’t have the skills to stop a person from killing themselves- from harming themselves.”

The family has set up an account where the public can help with angel’s funeral expenses, which you can find here.

KGNS reached out to the Zapata Sheriff Department on Monday and Tuesday regarding the officer involved shooting. The only information we’ve obtained at this time is that they are working on the case and the Texas Rangers are leading the investigation.

They go on to say that as soon as there is information available they will let us know.

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