San Antonio police officer fired over allegations he took weapons turned over at gun buyback

The San Antonio Police Department has fired an officer over accusations that he took firearms and ammunition turned in during a gun buyback sponsored last fall by City Councilman John Courage, KSAT reports.

On May 9, SAPD indefinitely suspended Officer David Mahula, an 18-year force veteran, after internal investigators determined that he hadn’t been truthful when questioned about the weapons, according to disciplinary records cited by the TV station.

Internal affairs began looking into Mahula after he worked the Nov. 19 gun buyback in the Alamodome parking lot, according to KSAT. The event provided H-E-B gift cards to residents who turned in pistols, rifles, shotguns and ammunition. In all, the city collected some 900 firearms.

An aide to Courage reported seeing an SAPD officer who worked the buyback put two firearms in his personal vehicle, the station reports, citing police records.

After a department probe led investigators to Mahula, he said he placed two rifles and a World War II-era handgun in his vehicle to “safeguard” them and sort out weapons with likely historical significance, KSAT reports. He also said nine boxes of ammo found in the vehicle were there so he could later destroy them at a firing range, according to the station.

Video from the scene and statements from two other officers present at the buyback also linked Mahula to weapons turned in at the event, according to documents cited by KSAT.

It’s unclear from SAPD disciplinary paperwork how many weapons Mahula is accused of taking and whether police were able to recover all of them, KSAT reports. What’s more, the station was unable to find records showing that the officer faced criminal charges. 

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This article appears in May 1-14, 2024.