Police: Suspect Confessed After Sherwood Way Convenience Store Stabbing

SAN ANGELO, TX — A 37-year-old man was arrested Sunday morning after a stabbing at a convenience store on Sherwood Way, according to the San Angelo Police Department.

Police said officers were already in the area responding to an unrelated incident when they observed a disturbance at a store in the 1800 block of Sherwood Way at about 8:30 a.m. When officers arrived, the suspected assailant had fled.

A 44-year-old man was found nearby with apparent stab wounds. Officers administered medical aid before San Angelo Fire Department personnel transported him to Shannon Medical Center, where he remains in stable condition, police said.

Additional officers searched the area and located the suspect hiding nearby. Police identified him as Michael Ray Zapata, 37. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Zapata was booked into the Tom Green County Detention Center, and investigators said he later confessed to his involvement. He is being without bond. 

Police credited patrol officers, supervisors, detectives, the department’s Drone Unit, and Crime Scene Investigations personnel for their coordinated efforts in the response.

“This case highlights the professionalism and unified response our department strives to deliver in every situation,” Chief Travis Griffith said.

This case remains under active investigation by the San Angelo Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division. Additional information will be released as needed, the department stated.