FBI Will Not Assist With Arlington Officer Shooting Investigation
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ARLINGTON (CBS11) - Late Monday, an FBI spokesperson says the federal agency has chosen not to assist in investigation of an Arlington officer shooting of unarmed nineteen year old burglary suspect Christian Taylor.
An email from Allison Mahan, FBI Public Affairs Specialist to reporter Joel Thomas reads:
"The Dallas FBI has been in contact with the Arlington Police Department. Based upon that contact, the Dallas FBI has full confidence in the ability of the Arlington Police Department and Tarrant County District Attorney's Office to conduct a thorough investigation of this matter. If in the course of the investigation, information comes to light of a potential federal civil rights violation, the FBI is prepared to investigate."
Meantime, the Arlington Police Department released new audio to combat what it says is misinformation spreading online.
"Five fifty-four, 544, copy burglary," the recorded female dispatchers voice says in the beginning of a series of police radio calls.
The unedited recording of police radio calls made when an officer shot Taylor was released after police say inaccurate timelines of events began appearing online.
The dispatch to scene happened at 1:06 a.m. that Friday morning.
Officers spent the next 10 minutes or so searching for where the lot was and where on the big lot Taylor was as the dispatcher kept them posted on what security cameras were picking up.
"Be advised the subject just crashed into the gate," she told officers.
About a minute and a half before the shooting this transmission, perhaps seeing the suspect's blond hair that was reported by dispatch earlier.
"Ok, we've got a guy inside," the officer radios. "Looks like he's got a straw hat on. A round straw hat. He's in the service area on this side of the building. "
About thirteen minutes after the first call Officer Brad Miller fired his gun.
"554, We've got shots fired," the officer says to dispatchers.
Today, detectives finished interviewing the officer who fired the shots, Brad Miller.
Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams released an online letter to citizens promising a thorough investigation and stating, "We must join together as we work through this tragedy."
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