A tense officer-involved shooting unfolded Wednesday afternoon in Dallas after police tracked down a wanted suspect near the R.L. Thornton Freeway who was armed with a long rifle and ultimately turned a weapon on himself.
The incident occurred around 12:21 p.m. in the 400 block of South R.L. Thornton Freeway. Dallas Police Department officers had located the suspect using Flock surveillance technology after determining he was wanted on multiple felony warrants related to narcotics charges and a probation violation.
When officers made contact and the suspect opened the door he was holding a long rifle. An officer discharged their weapon at the suspect following the armed confrontation.
Officers repeatedly ordered the suspect to drop the rifle but he refused to comply. The suspect then used a separate firearm to shoot himself according to preliminary reports from DPD.
No law enforcement officers sustained injuries during the incident. The suspect’s current condition has not been publicly disclosed by authorities.
Dallas police have not released the identity of the suspect at this time as the investigation remains active. The department confirmed that body camera footage from the officers involved will be made available to the public within the coming days in accordance with departmental transparency protocols.
The use of Flock technology played a key role in locating the suspect prior to the confrontation. Flock Safety systems use automated license plate readers and other surveillance tools that law enforcement agencies across the country have increasingly adopted to track wanted individuals.