Police: Grand Prairie Officer Fatally Shoots Man Who Pulled Out Gun After Chase
UPDATE: The Dallas County Medical Examiners Office has positively identified the deceased man as Jorge Albert Merino, 37.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A man was shot and killed by a Grand Prairie officer after leading police on a chase and pulling out a gun late Thursday evening, authorities say.
Police say the incident started at around 10:30 p.m. when officers tried to pull over the man in Grand Prairie. The man drove away from officers and led them on a chase.
According to police, the man eventually stopped at near Belt Line Road and Highway 67 in Cedar Hill and pulled out a gun. Feeling threatened, an officer fired at the suspect.
"The vehicle came to an abrupt stop... at which point the officers surrounded the vehicle, tried to talk to him and the suspect presented a weapon in a threatening manner towards the officers. And a Grand Prairie officer in fear for officers' lives fired a duty weapon, shooting and killing the suspect," Chelsea Kretz with Grand Prairie police said.
The man, who was later identified by the medical examiner was Jorge Alberto Marino, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police recovered a handgun from the suspect and said no shots were fired from it during the incident. There were no officers injured.
"At this point, we're not sure why the suspect fled from officers. That's part of the investigation now," Kretz said.