Officer Shoots Suspect Pointing Box Cutter At Deputy
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - A robbery suspect who allegedly pulled a box cutter from his pocket when officers told him to show his hands, was shot by a Fort Worth Police officer late Wednesday night.
The incident happened at an apartment complex near a gas station at the intersection of Las Vegas Trail and South Normandale Street around 11:55 p.m.
The Fort Worth Police officer and Tarrant County Sheriff's deputy were working together off-duty when they responded to a robbery call in the parking lot of that gas station.
The victim said two men showed up to "conduct a purchase of items negotiated in an online transaction."
The victim says one of the men pulled out what appeared to be a silver handgun and robbed the victim of the items and the suspects ran off.
While looking for the suspects from their car, the officers observed a man matching the description of one the robbery suspects. Police say the suspect looked in their direction and ducked down behind a row of bushes near the entrance to the complex.
As the officers approached the man started walking away from them.
Police say the officers told him to stop but he kept walking. He was told again by the officers to stop and show the officers his hands, one of which was in his pants pocket. The man then removed a silver object from his pocket and pointed it directly at the TCSO deputy, according to Fort Worth Police.
Police say the Fort Worth officer saw the silver object, believed the man was threatening the TCSO deputy with a firearm and fired two rounds at the subject striking him once in the lower torso.
The subject dropped the object, which turned out to be a silver-colored box cutter.
The Fort Worth officer immediately began to treat the subject's gunshot wound and bleeding with his department issued Tactical Medical (TacMed) kit until paramedics arrived.
The man was rushed to the hospital whein critical but stable condition.
The Fort Worth officer now on paid, administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigations conducted by Internal Affairs and Major Case detectives.
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