A man in Texas has been accused of fatally shooting a suspected thief whom he believed had stolen his truck.
The incident took place on March 29, when the vehicle owner used an Apple AirTag to track down his stolen pickup truck to a parking lot nearly 20 miles away from his home. He confronted the man inside the truck, identified as 44-year-old Andrew John Herrera, and a physical altercation ensued.
The vehicle owner ultimately shot Herrera, who died from a gunshot wound to the head. The shooter’s identity has not been released, and it is unclear whether he will face charges.
The San Antonio Police Department received a report of the stolen vehicle at around 1 pm on March 29, but the vehicle owner found his pickup truck with Herrera inside. Responding officers found bullet casings and two cars with visible gunshot damage, but it is uncertain whether Herrera had a gun in his possession. The police investigation into the incident is ongoing.
While Texas law permits individuals to carry guns and use deadly force to defend themselves from apparent and imminent danger, the responding officer, Nick Soliz, cautioned against taking matters into one’s own hands. He advised people to wait for the police rather than confronting suspected thieves themselves, emphasizing that vigilante justice is never safe.
The Apple AirTag device used in this incident is a relatively new technology that helps people keep track of their personal items. The device works by pinging off nearby iPhones and sending the owner’s phone a signal to show its location. While the AirTag has helped many people locate lost or stolen items, including cars and pets, the misuse of the device for harmful purposes has raised concerns. In recent months, incidents of unwanted tracking and stalking using AirTags have increased, prompting concerns over privacy and security.