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MySA.com: Metro | State
City Hall guard, 73, survives struggle
Web Posted: 08/18/2007 11:08 PM CDT
Bryan Chu
Express-News Staff Writer
Michael Riojas looks like he should be retired. The spry, 73-year-old great-grandfather, however, never backs down. Not even if there's a gun to his head.
While on duty as a security guard at San Antonio City Hall, Riojas went outside for air early Saturday when a man rushed his way into City Hall and allegedly tried to kill Riojas with his own gun. Riojas managed to scramble away before calling police, a police report said.
"I was fighting for my life," Riojas said.
San Antonio police surrounded the 100 block of Military Plaza around 2 a.m. When police spotted a man at the staircase, he told them, "the hostages don't have to die," and "don't make me kill the hostages," the report said.
Police dogs sniffed out the man in a closet on the second floor. Police pepper-sprayed him when he did not show them his hands.
No additional suspects or any hostages were found.
The man was identified as Jay Swob of Las Vegas. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He posted $100,000 bond Saturday at 5 p.m.
"(The attack) doesn't seem to be planned," San Antonio police spokesman Joe Rios said. There are no details as to whether Swob was under the influence of a controlled substance, Rios said.
Riojas, who was the only guard on duty on the graveyard shift, doesn't know why he was attacked but he did say the man was shouting anti-government remarks while choking him.
Riojas, who has been a security guard for 14 years — three months at City Hall — and served in the Army for eight years, said that when he and his attacker were fighting over the gun, luck was on his side.
"There was an act of God," Riojas said. "The magazine fell out when we were fighting (over the gun). For safety, I never put a bullet in the chamber."
Riojas' attacker was about 6 feet tall and 170 pounds. He had pressed the gun against Riojas' head and pulled the trigger multiple times — without results.
Riojas, who is 5 feet 9 inches and 214 pounds, managed to slip through his attacker's chokehold and run outside.
"(He) came up (to me) and pushed the barrel right to my chest," Riojas said. "I twisted his hand, grabbed the weapon and struck him over the head with it — I got him good."
When Riojas' attacker ran back into City Hall, the security guard phoned police.
Riojas walked away with minor injuries: two black eyes, a bruised left thigh and a bump on the head from being hit with the pistol.
After being treated for his injuries, the intrepid Riojas went back to work two hours later before his superiors demanded that he go home.
Riojas, who drives an hour to work from his home on the Northwest Side, has been on the job just three months — a job he thought was going to be easy.
"I thought it would be a 'Hello, how are you doing?' type of job, and now look what happened," Riojas said. "I guess it's all in a day's work."
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bchu@express-news.net
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Online at: MySA.com: Metro | State
MySA.com: Metro | State
City Hall guard, 73, survives struggle
Web Posted: 08/18/2007 11:08 PM CDT
Bryan Chu
Express-News Staff Writer
Michael Riojas looks like he should be retired. The spry, 73-year-old great-grandfather, however, never backs down. Not even if there's a gun to his head.
While on duty as a security guard at San Antonio City Hall, Riojas went outside for air early Saturday when a man rushed his way into City Hall and allegedly tried to kill Riojas with his own gun. Riojas managed to scramble away before calling police, a police report said.
"I was fighting for my life," Riojas said.
San Antonio police surrounded the 100 block of Military Plaza around 2 a.m. When police spotted a man at the staircase, he told them, "the hostages don't have to die," and "don't make me kill the hostages," the report said.
Police dogs sniffed out the man in a closet on the second floor. Police pepper-sprayed him when he did not show them his hands.
No additional suspects or any hostages were found.
The man was identified as Jay Swob of Las Vegas. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He posted $100,000 bond Saturday at 5 p.m.
"(The attack) doesn't seem to be planned," San Antonio police spokesman Joe Rios said. There are no details as to whether Swob was under the influence of a controlled substance, Rios said.
Riojas, who was the only guard on duty on the graveyard shift, doesn't know why he was attacked but he did say the man was shouting anti-government remarks while choking him.
Riojas, who has been a security guard for 14 years — three months at City Hall — and served in the Army for eight years, said that when he and his attacker were fighting over the gun, luck was on his side.
"There was an act of God," Riojas said. "The magazine fell out when we were fighting (over the gun). For safety, I never put a bullet in the chamber."
Riojas' attacker was about 6 feet tall and 170 pounds. He had pressed the gun against Riojas' head and pulled the trigger multiple times — without results.
Riojas, who is 5 feet 9 inches and 214 pounds, managed to slip through his attacker's chokehold and run outside.
"(He) came up (to me) and pushed the barrel right to my chest," Riojas said. "I twisted his hand, grabbed the weapon and struck him over the head with it — I got him good."
When Riojas' attacker ran back into City Hall, the security guard phoned police.
Riojas walked away with minor injuries: two black eyes, a bruised left thigh and a bump on the head from being hit with the pistol.
After being treated for his injuries, the intrepid Riojas went back to work two hours later before his superiors demanded that he go home.
Riojas, who drives an hour to work from his home on the Northwest Side, has been on the job just three months — a job he thought was going to be easy.
"I thought it would be a 'Hello, how are you doing?' type of job, and now look what happened," Riojas said. "I guess it's all in a day's work."
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bchu@express-news.net
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Online at: MySA.com: Metro | State
