Video from an Arlington police shooting last month appears to show officers engaging with an armed man before opening fire.
Footage of the encounter, which police say was prompted by a 911 call from family members, was released to reporters by Arlington Police Chief Al Jones Tuesday. One body cam clip showed Austin Taylor, 20, stopped by police a short distance from a family member’s home.
According to police, the call came after Taylor ran out of the house in response to an argument over Taylor’s alleged drug use.
When police arrived on scene, officers did not appear to deem Taylor a threat. At one point in the footage, an officer radios in to say the man was “not a danger to anyone.” Jones said officers determined no crime had occurred and offered to take Taylor back to the home.
Before they could frisk him for weapons, Taylor took off running, but the officers did not pursue because he hadn’t committed a crime and did not have any open warrants, Jones said. The officers instead went back to the family’s home to inform them of what happened.
Police later received calls from the same area reporting a potentially armed man, including one call from a homeowner they say gave a description that matched Taylor’s.
While the unidentified officers were searching for Talyor, police received a call from his family saying he returned to the home and was trying to leave in a dark pickup truck. When the unidentified officers arrived again at the scene, video shows Taylor getting into the truck and driving off.
Police say he fired a shot through his windshield at officers, with a video showing a bullet hole in the windshield. After a short chase, the truck crashed, and Taylor fled on foot holding what appears to be a gun. After a confrontation, officers opened fire and shot Taylor three times.
Jones told reporters his officers gave Taylor multiple opportunities to accept help.
“I believe our officers wanted to help the young man at the center of this incident,” Jones said.
Taylor was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He has since been released and booked into the Tarrant County Jail.
His charges include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and evading arrest. The two unidentified officers involved were also put on paid administrative leave. Arlington Police Officer Courtney White told reporters at last month's news conference that the department’s homicide team is investigating the incident “as a whole,” and a separate administrative investigation will examine whether department policies were followed.
Both the criminal and administrative investigations into the incident remain ongoing.
This is at least the third police shooting in Arlington this year. In February, an officer shot and killed Sean McKay during a traffic stop on Interstate 20. In April, an officer shot and killed Michael Bassey after he called 911 and claimed he had stabbed and killed someone, police said.
Juan Salinas II is a KERA news intern. Got a tip? Email Juan at jsalinas@kera.org. You can follow Juan on X @4nsmiley
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