A man was shot and killed by River Oaks police officers Monday night after he raised a handgun and aimed it directly at officers who had responded to a report of a suicidal individual.
The River Oaks Police Department said officers were dispatched just before 9:30 p.m. to the 900 block of Yale Street in response to a call about a suicidal subject. When they arrived on scene, they encountered an adult male who went inside a nearby residence and returned to the front yard armed with a handgun.
Officers gave the man verbal commands to drop the weapon, but he refused to comply and instead pointed the firearm at the responding officers. At that point, two officers discharged their weapons and struck the man.
Emergency medical aid was administered on scene by officers until River Oaks Fire Department personnel arrived. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers sustained injuries during the confrontation.
The Texas Rangers and the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office Officer Involved Shooting Team have been notified and will conduct independent investigations into the incident. This is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings in Texas.
The River Oaks Police Department will also carry out its own internal administrative review of the incident. The two officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave while investigations are completed, which is standard procedure following a shooting involving law enforcement.
Authorities are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have recorded video footage in the area to contact the River Oaks Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 817-626-1991.
