Off-Duty Dallas Police Officer Shoots Suspect
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - An off-duty police officer shot and critically wounded a man accused of shooting a woman in the face near a Dallas school on Thursday evening. The incident happened just before 7:00 p.m. in the 2400 block of 52nd Street, outside of the Harry Stone Montessori Academy in east Oak Cliff.
According to police, the suspect drove up to a woman who was sitting in a car and opened fire. The off-duty police officer happened to be driving in his personal car with his family when he came upon the scene. The officer returned fire, striking the suspect.
Both of the shooting victims were taken to local hospitals and were in critical condition late Thursday, police said. A motive for the suspect's attack has not been determined.
CBS 11 News obtained a cell phone photograph of what witnesses said was the officer, holding his badge in one hand and his gun in the other, as he confronted the suspect. Police would not confirm if the picture was, in fact, the officer involved on Thursday night.
The violence took place even as parents and educators were gathered for a meet-the-teacher night at the nearby school. "The shooting had nothing to do with the school, its teachers, parents or staff," DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander said.
The family of the female victim is now applauding the actions of the off-duty police officer. "I'm just praying that my cousin's alright," said Jaylen Calhoun. "I'm glad the law was there. The undercover police was there and he did what he had to do, you know, and I salute him."
This is now the second officer-involved shooting in less than 24 hours in Dallas. Police said the suspect in a north Dallas shooting took his own life, even as officers fired outside of the Grand Hotel off of Coit Road late Wednesday night.
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