Police said woman who was shot and killed after SWAT situation was armed with pellet gun

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — The woman who was shot by police during a SWAT situation at the El Paso Health and Human Services Commission building has died, according to her husband.

The woman was identified as 38-year-old Christine Venegas.

"They’re talking about all she had a gun and she’s flashing around, dude, it was a toy gunman a toy gun. Do you know the difference between a toy gun and a real gun, and they shot her dude, they (expletive) shot her. Dude, that’s my wife man what are you thinking," said Omar Soto, husband of the woman told KFOX14.

Soto said Venegas did not have a real gun but rather a toy gun.

Police said Venegas had a CO2 cartridge pellet gun that police said resembled a semi-automatic handgun.

Soto said he was at the hospital and said medical officials told him she was shot in the heart. Soto said Venegas had 3 children.

Enrique Carrillo with El Paso police said Venegas was shot by law enforcement when she pointed a gun at them around 3:30 p.m.

El Paso police and its SWAT team responded at 10:30 a.m. to reports of a woman armed with a gun inside the El Paso Health and Human Services Commission at 5150 El Paso Drive in south central El Paso.

Carillo said Venegas entered the building and argued with a caseworker over food stamp benefits that were cut or suspended.

He said employees were evacuated from the building.

The woman was confined to an office and was alone during the time of the standoff according to Carrillo.

Police said less-lethal munitions were used in an attempt to subdue Venegas, but she then raised and pointed the weapon to SWAT officers.

El Paso's Department of Public Health closed its building nearby due to the ongoing SWAT situation, according to city officials.

Texas Health and Human Services in El Paso helps people get access to SNAP and WIC benefits, according to its website.

The facility is near the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Irma Olivas who works in the area said she and her coworkers heard sirens in the area around 10:45 a.m.

A business owner near the building said he thinks we could see more of these situations.

“Since our fellow citizens are getting more desperate for help so i think we need to pay a little more attention to the needs of certain people," said David Gomez, owner of La Pulguita.

Gomez said there needs to be more help for some people in El Paso.

“It’s really mental patient-friendly and obviously there’s a lot of people that can’t put up with the red tape to actually get their needs met," said Gomez.

“It seems like lately, we’ve been having a lot of shootings around the city," said Margarita Leos, a resident.

The area near Concepcion St and Alameda Avenue were blocked off to the public for several hours.

The 14-year veteran officer involved was placed on administrative leave.

The investigation is ongoing.