Agent Reynaldo Contreras arrived at Patrick Warren’s house on January 10 after Warren’s family called for psychiatric help.
The video shows Contreras letting himself into the house after being told by someone to “come in.” Contreras soon leaves after Warren starts screaming and comes to him.
Warren can be seen outside a residence approaching the officer in the front yard, ignoring verbal orders to lie down. After the officer steps back and continues to give warnings such as “You will be given a bag”, he uses his taser.
Warren initially falls down, but then gets up again and keeps pushing towards the officer. Contreras uses the taser again, but Warren keeps advancing and Contreras uses his firearm.
Warren, who was 52, was taken to a hospital and succumbed to his injuries.
Family law attorney calls it ‘one of the worst shootings involving officers I’ve seen’
Merritt did not call back to CNN on Thursday and Friday after the footage was released.
According to Killeen police, Contreras, a five-year veteran of the department, is on administrative leave. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, an investigation by the Texas Rangers is underway.
Bell County District Attorney Henry Garza directed all inquiries to the Texas Rangers.
Police Chief Charles Kimble said this week that Contreras made every effort to use non-lethal force against Warren before using his firearm.
“I don’t see where he could have done anything else. I saw an officer trying to handle a call, de-escalate a call,” Kimble told reporters on Tuesday.
“Given the same circumstances, I just don’t know what else we can do,” he added.
Kimble said Contreras had received more than the minimum of mandatory training, but he said police were looking for ways to better handle psychiatric calls.
On Saturday, Jan. 9, a day before the shooting, the county sent a mental health deputy to Warren’s home. Merritt previously told CNN that the meeting with the deputy had gone well. Warren voluntarily went to the hospital with that deputy sheriff that night, but refused to stay in the hospital for further treatment.
When the family requested another mental health check the next day, a police officer was sent. According to Merritt, the family wanted a deputy again instead of a police officer.
Asked why a police officer was deployed on Sunday, Kimble said the operator expressed concern about what they heard from the family during the phone call.
“It was a call for a psychiatric,” said Kimble. “But while the caller was listening to the caller, when certain things are said or certain things are heard, it elicits a different response … It triggered a response from the police, and it triggered a response from firefighters and medics who said that. were.
CNN has reached out to the Killeen Police Employee Association for comment, but has not heard back yet.