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Texas police officer shoots and kills unarmed college football player Texas officer who killed unarmed college athlete never shot gun before
(about 5 hours later)
A police officer in suburban Dallas shot and killed a college football player during a struggle after the unarmed 19-year-old crashed a car through the front window of a car dealership, authorities said. Police said on Saturday the suburban Dallas officer who shot and killed a college football player during a burglary call at a car dealership had never fired his weapon before Friday’s shooting.
The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office identified the dead man as Christian Taylor of Arlington. Taylor was a sophomore at Angelo State University in San Angelo. Arlington police officer Brad Miller remains on administrative leave after the shooting death, early on Friday, of Christian Taylor.
Officers were responding to a burglary call about 1am on Friday in Arlington when they discovered someone had driven a vehicle through a front window of the Classic Buick GMC, according to a statement from the Arlington police department. The statement said police approached the suspect and a struggle ensued. At some point during the struggle, an officer shot Taylor. Sergeant Paul Rodriguez said Saturday that Miller and his training officer were the only two officers known to have directly engaged Taylor, a 19-year-old Arlington native who was a sophomore at Angelo State University in West Texas.
Police identified the officer as Brad Miller, a 49-year-old who has been with the department since September and who has been working under the supervision of a training officer since his graduation from the police academy in March. The police statement said Miller had no police experience before joining the Arlington police force. Other officers had set up a perimeter around the car dealership where the incident occurred. Police said they were responding to a report of a burglary at the Classic Buick GMC in Arlington, 10 miles west of Dallas, at about 1am on Friday when they discovered someone had driven a vehicle through a front window of the dealership.
He will be placed on administrative leave, which is routine in such cases. The Arlington police statement said officers approached the suspect and a struggle ensued. At some point during the struggle, Miller shot Taylor.
Independent criminal and administrative investigations will be carried out according to the police statement. Police said Miller was a 49-year-old who had been with the department since September and who had been working under the supervision of a training officer since his graduation from the police academy in March. The police statement said Miller had no police experience before joining the Arlington police force.
Independent criminal and administrative investigations will be carried out, according to the police statement.
The shooting comes amid increased scrutiny nationwide of police use of force, particularly in cases involving black suspects. Taylor was black. The race of the officer was not immediately known.The shooting comes amid increased scrutiny nationwide of police use of force, particularly in cases involving black suspects. Taylor was black. The race of the officer was not immediately known.
The case resonated on social media, with posts questioning the official account that Taylor was committing a robbery and asking why there was no video of the altercation. By Friday night, #ChristianTaylor was trending on Twitter.The case resonated on social media, with posts questioning the official account that Taylor was committing a robbery and asking why there was no video of the altercation. By Friday night, #ChristianTaylor was trending on Twitter.
Taylor’s great uncle, Clyde Fuller of Grand Prairie, Texas, described Taylor as “a good kid” and said he didn’t believe that Taylor was trying to commit a crime.Taylor’s great uncle, Clyde Fuller of Grand Prairie, Texas, described Taylor as “a good kid” and said he didn’t believe that Taylor was trying to commit a crime.
“They say he’s burglarizing the place by running up in there? Nuh-uh. Something doesn’t sound right,” Fuller told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.“They say he’s burglarizing the place by running up in there? Nuh-uh. Something doesn’t sound right,” Fuller told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
It was unclear whether there was any video of the shooting. Police sergeant Paul Rodriguez said Arlington officers have not been equipped with body cameras, and police said they haven’t found any dealership security video that captured it.It was unclear whether there was any video of the shooting. Police sergeant Paul Rodriguez said Arlington officers have not been equipped with body cameras, and police said they haven’t found any dealership security video that captured it.
The Star-Telegram reported that court records it reviewed showed Taylor was sentenced to six months of deferred adjudication last December on a drug charge stemming from a September 2013 traffic stop in which police reported Taylor was found with 11 hydrocodone tablets not prescribed to him. The case was dismissed 14 July after Taylor satisfied the requirement of his probation. He graduated from Summit High School in Mansfield, Texas, in 2014.The Star-Telegram reported that court records it reviewed showed Taylor was sentenced to six months of deferred adjudication last December on a drug charge stemming from a September 2013 traffic stop in which police reported Taylor was found with 11 hydrocodone tablets not prescribed to him. The case was dismissed 14 July after Taylor satisfied the requirement of his probation. He graduated from Summit High School in Mansfield, Texas, in 2014.
Angelo State officials said they were saddened to hear of the death of Taylor.Angelo State officials said they were saddened to hear of the death of Taylor.
“We’re not familiar with any of the details because it happened away from here, but we’d just like people to know that we are sad and sorry for his family and friends,” university spokeswoman Becky Brackin told the San Angelo Standard-Times.“We’re not familiar with any of the details because it happened away from here, but we’d just like people to know that we are sad and sorry for his family and friends,” university spokeswoman Becky Brackin told the San Angelo Standard-Times.
In a Tweet, football coach Will Wagner said, “Heart is hurting.” Football coach Will Wagner tweeted: “Heart is hurting.”