Investigation Underway After Officer Involved Shooting In Denton Leaves 1 Injured

DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) — Police in Denton are investigating an officer involved shooting that left a 39-year-old man injured.

Someone called police at 12:32 a.m and said they heard screaming and loud noises coming from an apartment. Officers responded to the area and attempted to make contact at the apartment. Officers knocked on the residence door several times but received no answer. No disturbance could be heard coming from inside the apartment, and officers cleared the scene.

Then, at around 2:15 a.m. officers returned to the Pace's Crossing apartment complex in the 2400 block of Interstate-35 near Loop 288.

The same 911 caller reported hearing screaming (again), as well as loud pops. The caller specified they believed the loud noises heard could be gunshots. Officers arrived on scene within minutes and were able to make verbal contact with the suspect through the closed apartment door. Officers identified themselves as police and directed the man to exit the apartment so they could check on the welfare of everyone inside. But he refused verbally, and officers then heard what sounded like gunfire coming from the apartment. Additional officers were dispatched, and a perimeter was established around the apartment.

Without provocation, according to police, the suspect opened the front door of the apartment and appeared holding a handgun. Officers ordered him to drop the weapon, and the man responded verbally with profanity, acknowledging the officers' presence. The suspect then retreated inside of the apartment. A short time later the he appeared again in the doorway with a woman before again retreating inside of the apartment.

Some time later the same man, holding the same woman, came out and this time pointed his weapon at police and fired. Officials said two officers returned fire and hit the suspect twice. The suspect was shot in the torso but his injuries aren't believed to be life threatening.

The woman wasn't injured and no officers were hurt.

At this time her relationship with the suspect isn't confirmed, but both the man and the woman lived together in the apartment. There are pending criminal charges against the suspect.

The two officers who opened fire have been with the department two and three years respectively. They were placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated. Officials said there is body cam footage of the shooting.

The Texas Rangers will be the lead in the investigation.

In:
• Denton Police Department