A new lawsuit against Hays County argues there was no need to kill Joshua Wright, a county jail inmate who was shot to death during a 2022 visit to a Kyle emergency room. According to the suit, former Hays County corrections officer Isaiah Garcia himself says he didn’t need to fire his weapon.
Wright’s family has brought separate lawsuits against Hays County and Garcia over their loved one’s death. Local attorney Jeff Edwards interviewed the former officer as part of the Garcia lawsuit this fall. Edwards said he was surprised to see Garcia break down and cry as he admitted that he had killed Wright unnecessarily.
“Mr. Garcia did reflect on what he had done and, as the deposition makes clear, he acknowledged fault,” Edwards told the Chronicle. “It was clear he is struggling with what he did.”
Garcia’s attorney did not respond to our requests for comment.
Wright was incarcerated at the Hays County Jail on Dec. 12, 2022, when, according to the lawsuit, he began experiencing a possible medical emergency. Two jail officers took him to the Ascension Seton emergency room in Kyle early the next morning. One was called away and Garcia was left alone to guard Wright. Wright asked to use the restroom, the lawsuit states. Garcia escorted Wright to a restroom and unlocked his handcuffs but left his leg irons in place. When he exited the restroom, Wright pushed past Garcia and shuffled quickly down a hallway in an attempt to escape. Garcia drew his gun and ran after him.
“It was clear he is struggling with what he did.” – Local attorney Jeff Edwards
In the Hays County lawsuit, Edwards uses video from Garcia’s body-worn camera and testimony from his deposition to describe the chase. “Because Wright’s leg irons significantly limited his stride, as did a vitals cart that was in his path, Garcia quickly gained ground on Wright,” the lawsuit reads. “Rather than continue closing in on the unarmed and defenseless Wright, and personally restraining him or even deploying his TASER to restrain Wright, Garcia inexplicably fired his gun at Wright.”
This first shot tore through Wright’s left arm, the lawsuit states. Wright hit a medical cart and fell to his knees. Garcia got closer. Wright rose and continued down the hall. Garcia fired again, hitting Wright’s other arm.
The second bullet broke Wright’s arm in several places before passing into his chest. Wright collapsed again. Bodycam footage shows Wright’s hands were empty. Garcia fired a third time.
The third bullet hit Wright in the chest, breaking two of his ribs. However, according to Edwards, this bullet would not have been fatal. Bleeding profusely, Wright got to his feet and stood with his back to Garcia.
“Wright’s hands were empty,” the lawsuit states. “He did not make a threatening movement toward anyone. Yet, rather than physically restraining the bleeding, incapacitated, and unsteady Wright (as he could have done) or use his TASER to do so (as he also could have done), Garcia fired his gun twice more in quick succession into Wright’s back.” The last two shots killed Wright.
Edwards told the Chronicle that Garcia repeatedly acknowledged in his deposition that none of the shots were necessary to apprehend Wright. The former officer also said he wouldn’t have fired if another guard had been with him and that he never received training about when to transition from a gun to a TASER.
“There is no question Isaiah Garcia committed a reprehensible act,” Edwards said. “However, Mr. Wright’s death was also the product of inadequate training and supervision that, as of yet, have not been addressed by the county. The county should do everything in its power to resolve this case, fix its deficient training, and acknowledge the role it played in leaving a daughter without a father and a mother grieving for her son.”
This article appears in February 14 • 2025.
