by | Published
LAREDO, Texas — Laredo Police Department officers used newly deployed drone technology to safely detain an armed man outside a fast-food restaurant Saturday afternoon, recovering both a handgun and a suspected submachine gun from the scene.
According to police, dispatchers received a call around 4:03 p.m. on May 16, 2026, regarding a suspicious person in the parking lot of a restaurant in the 1100 block of Santa Ursula Avenue.
Responding officers located a Mercury Marquis parked in the lot.
During the response, a department drone operator monitoring the incident advised officers that a handgun was visible within reach of the suspect on the vehicle dashboard, giving officers critical real-time intelligence before making contact.
Police said the information allowed officers to safely coordinate their approach and detain the suspect without incident.
The suspect was identified as 24-year-old Christian Steele Smith.
During the investigation, officers recovered:
Investigators said the firearms appeared to have been tampered with, though additional details about the weapons were not immediately released.
Police credited the department’s new drone technology and coordinated response for helping safely resolve the situation before it escalated.
Authorities said the quick actions of patrol officers and drone personnel potentially prevented a dangerous or tragic outcome.
Smith was charged with Unlawful Carrying a Weapon and his bond was set at $15,000.
