Police Shoot Suspect After Chase Near AT&T Stadium
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ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - A police chase that started in Grand Prairie on Thursday morning ended with the suspect being taken down by an officer. The incident began at around 7:45 a.m. when authorities attempted to stop a driver inside of a burgundy Chrysler 300 for making an illegal U-turn.
The driver refused to pull over, and a chase ensued. But, before speeding off, a passenger jumped out of the suspect's car with their hands in the air saying, "I have nothing to do with this. I want out."
The 15-minute pursuit quickly moved into Arlington. The suspect appeared to be driving in circles at that point, staying close to AT&T Stadium. The suspect even led police through the stadium's parking lot at one point. The chase reached an end in the 1000 block of Cowboys Way, when the suspect left his vehicle and tried to get away on foot.
One officer with the Grand Prairie Police Department followed the suspect toward the Clairemont Apartments, located in the 900 block of East Sanford Street. During a close-combat scuffle, the suspect managed to get a hold of the police officer's Taser. That is when the officer pulled out his gun and fired.
"We are unsure at this time whether he actually dropped the Taser or whether it fell to the ground," said Lyle Gensler with the Grand Prairie Police Department. "At that point, the officer, fearing for his life, pulled his weapon and used less-than-lethal force on the suspect and he was shot."
The suspect was hit in the leg and is expected to be okay. He was conscious when he was taken away from the scene. The name of the suspect has not yet been released, but authorities in Arlington said that he has a long criminal history.
