San Antonio Police Chief William McManus defended his decision to indefinitely suspend former officer Abdiel Munoz during an arbitration hearing Tuesday, saying the officer's failure to properly search a detained teenager before transporting him to jail led to a preventable tragedy.

The hearing centers on the March 3, 2024 death of 19-year-old Jesus Gonzales, who was able to bring a handgun into the Bexar County jail and died by suicide while in custody.

During several hours of testimony, McManus said the transporting officer is ultimately responsible for ensuring a detainee is properly searched.