Cuban Man Shot by Police While Stabbing His Partner in Texas

A police officer shot and killed a Cuban man in Austin, Texas, after finding him stabbing his wife in an apartment at a residential complex early Monday morning.

The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. in an apartment located in the 12500 block of Tech Ridge Boulevard at the San Paloma Apartments, according to interim Austin Police Department (APD) Chief Robin Henderson during a press conference.

U.S. authorities did not disclose the identities of the deceased man or the injured woman, nor their relationship. However, crime reporter Niover Licea confirmed on social media on Tuesday that both the attacker and his victim were Cubans from Moa, Holguín, and were married.

Licea identified the woman as Rosa María Tabera and her attacker as Ensel Maclare, stating that she was pregnant. Friends and acquaintances of the couple commented on the influencer's video that they had "been together for a long time" and had children.

They also mentioned that she had been living in the United States for about four years, while he had arrived more than two years ago. "Unfortunately, it had to come to this for them to stop him because he was constantly mistreating her," a man who identified himself as a friend of both said. Another woman commented, "Oh my God, it's good that the police intervened; he was a criminal, and there's no excuse for attacking a pregnant woman."

Details of the Incident

According to the police report, around 1:34 a.m., the police received an initial 911 call about a violent altercation between a man and a woman at the residential complex near I-35 North in north Austin.

Two minutes later, another person made a second call, reporting hearing a woman screaming for help, a man shouting, and the sounds of glass breaking and objects being thrown. They added that the disturbance had moved to the patio and then back to the apartment.

Officers arrived on the scene around 1:45 a.m. and were guided by a neighbor to the apartment where the incident was occurring. "Officers heard the disturbance coming from the apartment, knocked, and announced themselves in English and Spanish but received no response. To preserve life and prevent further harm, officers forced open the main door of the apartment," explained Henderson.

Once inside, they found a closed room where the altercation was happening and had to force that door open as well. "Upon entering, they saw a man on top of a woman, repeatedly stabbing her with a knife. To protect the victim's life, an officer used his service weapon and struck the suspect," said Henderson.

Officers immediately began administering first aid to both individuals until paramedics arrived and transported them to a local hospital. The police informed the local press that the woman had life-threatening injuries and was in critical condition, while the attacker was pronounced dead at 3:05 a.m. No other individuals or officers were injured.

Henderson added that the officer who shot the suspect has five years of service with the Austin Police Department and, following department protocol, would be assigned to administrative duties.

The APD will conduct two simultaneous investigations: a criminal investigation by the Special Investigations Unit in conjunction with the Travis County District Attorney's Office, and an administrative inquiry by the Internal Affairs Unit.