COVID claims 2 more law officers from area

The San Antonio law enforcement community lost two of its own to COVID-19 last week.

A veteran Bexar County sheriff ’s deputy died Friday after he was exposed to a family member who had the disease. He is the second from the department to fall victim to the virus.

And a San Antonio police officer who had been with the department since 1985 died Thursday. He’s the first SAPD officer killed by COVID-19.

The police officer hasn’t been identified, but Mayor Ron Nirenberg noted his death during the daily coronavirus briefing Thursday.

“We’ve lost too many of our neighbors and friends and family members to this virus,” Nirenberg said. “I also want you to join us in mourning the loss of one of our SAPD veteran officers today, as well, from COVID-19. So please keep our entire city family in your prayers.”

Sheriff Javier Salazar said the deputy was Jesse Zamarron, 68, a 23-year veteran of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by two adult children.

Zamarron was exposed to a COVID-positive family member in late December and placed on leave as a precaution, Salazar said. He tested negative for the virus on Jan. 4, tested positive on Jan. 11 and was admitted to the hospital on Jan. 13.

The deputy had been scheduled to receive the vaccine, but didn’t get the shot before he was exposed to the virus. Officials are waiting for a ruling from the Medical Examiner’s Office but believe the virus was a contributing factor in his death.

He is the second sheriff ’s deputy to die with the virus; the first was Timothy De La Fuente, 53, a 27-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office assigned to the jail.

De La Fuentes died at home April 30, two days after he was tested for the virus. He wasn’t feeling sick that day, a Tuesday, officials said. The testing was just part of an attempt to slow the spread of the disease, which was sweeping through inmates and staff at the jail. But he called in sick the next day, then died suddenly Thursday. The test came back positive on Thursday; he had been planning to see a doctor later that day.

By the numbers

As of Friday, there were 77 inmates infected at the Bexar County jail. Since the pandemic began, there have been a total of 1,161 inmates with the disease.

Early in the pandemic, state officials weren’t accepting local inmates at the state prison system, which may have contributed to the spread of the virus at the jail. That has changed, and the number of inmates awaiting transfer has returned to precoronavirus levels, officials said.

As of Friday, 52 detention deputies had the virus, along with 12 law enforcement deputies and 11 civilian employees.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 307 detention deputies, 71 law enforcement deputies and 67 civilian employees have tested positive.

Most of the deputies who have contracted the virus recently were exposed by family members, Salazar said.

Friday, officials reported 2,247 new cases of COVID-19 — that made three days last week with more than 2,000 new cases.

San Antonio Metropolitan Health has reported the deaths of 62 people over six days last week. To date, the virus has killed at least 1,874 residents.

Deputy Jesse Zamarron, 68, was a 23-year veteran of the force.