Neighbors describe strange encounters before DeSoto police shot and killed an armed suspect
DESOTO — DeSoto neighbors are speaking about their strange encounters with a group of people on Labor Day weekend.
Police say the group of people were knocking on neighbor's doors along Greenbriar Dr. and asking for help in the middle of the night.
The ordeal ended with the man in the group being shot and killed by police early Sunday morning.
Angelina Salinas said the group was caught on her Nest camera roaming her neighborhood. She said one of the women rang her doorbell.
"She was trying to ring the doorbell and she seemed kind of tired and out of breath. It was really weird," said Salinas.
Down the street, neighbor Rheshan Tanner says the group then came up to the back door of their home on Greenbriar Drive, consisting of a man holding a child with no shirt on as well as two other women carrying large backpacks.
"They seemed frantic," said Tanner. "They asked for water. We gave them bottled water and they kept saying they needed help, and they needed a ride or an Uber."
Tanner says that's when she called 911. When officers arrived, police the group ran through a nearby creek onto Springbrook Drive. Investigators say, the man was holding a handgun and threatened to shoot at officers.
Police asked the man to put the gun down, but he did not comply. That's when police say, an officer shot and killed him, out of concern for the child's safety. That suspect was identified Tuesday as 34-year-old Jesse Martinez.
DeSoto police said at the time of his death, Martinez was wanted on multiple warrants including aggravated kidnapping for ransom and was a known violent offender with a criminal history of assaulting law enforcement officers and aggravated sexual assault of a minor. His criminal profile included a warning to law enforcement to "use extreme caution when approaching this individual."
"We didn't know he had a gun on him. It is scary because it could have turned really quick," Tanner said.
Tanner said she has now installed cameras outside her home. Other neighbors, including Salinas, told CBS News Texas they are still wondering how this scary incident could happen in their quiet corner of DeSoto.
"Honestly, I feel like this neighborhood is probably still shocked," Salinas said. "But the investigation is not done yet. We really need to find out what the man wanted."
DeSoto police said they did question the two women and the women claimed they did not know Martinez.
Police say the child is safe with family and the officer who shot Martinez is now on paid administrative leave due to the investigation into the shooting.
