Grand Jury Does Not Indict Officer In Fatal Shooting
TARRANT COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - A grand jury has refused to indict a Watauga police officer for fatally shooting a man in the head as he stabbed his pregnant girlfriend.
The officer, who's identity was never released, responded to an afternoon stabbing call at a home in the 6400 block of Patsy Lane on January 3, 2014. When he arrived he found a man, later identified as Brandon Melton, 25, on top of a woman, stabbing her.
According to prosecutors, the officer ordered the suspect to drop his weapon, but he did not comply with the order. Melton continued stabbing the victim, until the officer shot him in the head. Melton died several days later at a local hospital after being taken off life support.
Melton's pregnant girlfriend and another female stabbing victim were treated and recovered from their injuries. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl. On the day of the stabbing, the women were trying to move her belongings from the home so she could leave Melton.
"This relatively inexperienced officer exhibited remarkable calm and competence in the midst of a vicious and unprovoked attack," said Deputy Chief District Attorney Jack Strickland. "His quick action that day unquestionably saved one, if not three, innocent lives."
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