Fort Worth mother mourns losing her son after officer-involved shooting
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) — A Fort Worth mother is mourning the loss of her son after calling police for help when things quickly escalated Saturday night.
"I knew what the outcome was going to be, and I had already lost two sons and I didn't want to lose another one."
Tijuana Bryant is still trying to wrap her around losing her son, 29-year-old Taylor Grimes. "It's tough losing a child, but I mean I tried to help him."
Grimes was shot and killed by Fort Worth police after a stand-off with SWAT and hostage negotiators.
Bryant said her son started to break her car's taillights and mirror during an argument over money. "The whole idea was for me to sell the cars and trucks so I could get him a car," Bryant said. "And I was going to give my husband the money just in case I was at work and he came across a car."
"He could have got the car for him. Taylor said it was the prinicpal, he didn't want me to give my husband the money because he was afraid that he was going to spend it. And then he asked me to give him half of the money, I told him no."
Bryant tells CBS 11 that's when she called 911.
"He was cussing at the operator, and he told her if the police came that he was going to kill me and he was going to hit me with the hammer," Bryant said. "When I looked into his eyes, he wasn't my son. That's not the Taylor I'm used to."
That's when she said her son pushed her outside of the house. In a press release, police said "the suspect standing in the doorway pointed his handgun at an officer and the officer responded to the deadly threat by firing his weapon."
"Almost two or three hours they talked to him. They told him to put the gun down because they were going to try to get him help," Bryant said. "I don't blame anyone; the police did an outstanding job. I just wish my son would've taken heed and allowed us to help him."
Bryant said she just wants to leave everyone with one message.
"Just know that when your family member tells you that they no longer want to live, take that seriously. Try to get some type of help," Bryant said. "Listen to them. Don't criticize them. Mental illness is real. I didn't think it would affect my family, but it did."
Police have not said whether the officer who fired their gun is on administrative leave. The investigation is ongoing.
