Arlington Police release video of officer-involved shooting
Arlington Police have released dash and body camera video of the officer-involved shooting last month. Police shot and injured a suspect after a chase May 20.
Chief Al Jones says relatives of the suspect called 911 after an argument about his drug use. When officers arrived, he says the suspect, Austin Taylor, 20, had already left.
Jones says officers found Taylor nearby. He says they learned Taylor had not committed a crime, so they offered to drive him home or to treatment.
Instead, Jones says Tayor ran off.
"Because he was not under arrest, didn't have any active warrants and had not committed an offense at that point, our officers did not pursue him," Jones says. "Instead, they went back to the family members' house to explain what happened."
While they were talking to family, Jones says police received several other 911 calls about someone with a gun nearby. Then Taylor's family says he returned to the house.
Jones says Taylor was inside a pickup truck and ignored officers' commands to get out. As Taylor backed down the driveway, Jones says an officer saw a gun and alerted other officers.
Jones says Taylor refused to pull over and fired a shot through his windshield at an officer. The officer was not hit, and Jones says Taylor then hit an SUV.
The driver of the SUV had minor injuries, and Jones says Taylor started running and hid under a pick-up truck. Jones says officers saw Taylor with a gun and both fired.
"We didn't escalate that," he says. "Mr. Taylor had several opportunities to comply with our orders. What's even more disturbing is he fired his weapon at one of our officers. That, right there, is really disturbing to me."
Jones says officers gave first aid, and Taylor was booked into Tarrant County Jail after he was released from the hospital.
"I'm just so grateful our officers are well-trained to handle any situation," he says. "Something as simple as this can turn on the drop of a dime."
Tuesday afternoon, Taylor was still listed in jail on charges of evading arrest, aggravated assault-family violence and aggravated assault of a public servant.
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