Balch Springs , TX Officer Responding to Call About Party Shoots Unarmed Teen with Rifle

[SeanTX]

I'm guessing the cop used an AR-15 -- just what you need for dealing with an under-aged drinking/loud party call .

Looks like quite possibly another case of a nothing situation escalated to life and death (thankfully, no officers injured ) .

Though now they are claiming shots were heard when they arrived, and that's why the rifle was out. Still, they may end up having to go through the motions of a mock trial over this one (esp if it goes viral).


https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dall...-balch-springs

Car was driving away from officer when he shot boy with rifle, Balch Springs chief says


Updated at 5:30 p.m.: Revised throughout to include new information.

Balch Springs' police chief admitted Monday that a car was driving away from police when an officer fired into it with a rifle and fatally shot a 15-year-old boy in the head.

After reviewing body cam footage, Police Chief Jonathan Haber said the teen behind the wheel Saturday night at first backed down the street and then said the car drove away from the officers.

"It did not meet our core values," Haber said of his officer's actions.

Haber had initially said the car was driving backwards toward the officers. The officers had been inside a house where they found a large party. The ran outside after hearing gunshots around 11 p.m. Saturday in the 12300 block of Baron Drive.

Jordan Edwards, a freshman at Mesquite High School, was leaving the party over the weekend when he the officer shot him through the passenger's side window.

The medical examiner's office said Jordan was killed with a rifle and ruled his death a homicide, which doesn't necessarily indicate charges will be filed. The Dallas County Sheriff's Department and the district attorney's public integrity unit are investigating the shooting.

snip

The officer, who has not been named, has been placed on administrative leave. No officers were injured.

[Suzanimal]

The officer hasn't been arrested and charged.

From another article...

Merritt said that he and the family are "pressing for the officer involved to be treated like any other American citizen who ... recklessly caused the death of another human being."

"We appreciate the chief being honest and transparent about the facts in the case," Merritt said. "It is not lost on us."

Merritt said the incident presented "no danger" to the officer and that there was "no justification" for the shooting. The family "anxiously awaits" the arrest of the officer who shot Jordan, Merritt said.

"Officers should be held to the same or higher standard as" regular citizens who commit crimes, Merritt added.

The Dallas County Sheriff's Office is conducting an investigation into the shooting. The Balch Springs Police Department is conducting an internal investigation on its own.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/police-invo...ry?id=47143551

[tod evans]

"Officers should be held to the same or higher standard as" regular citizens who commit crimes, Merritt added.

Pfffffft!

Justice will not be found in their courts.

[EBounding]

Don't worry everyone. The Brave Heroes are getting a chance to "decompress" after shooting the kid.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/u...ting.html?_r=0

Officer Pedro Gonzalez, a police spokesman, said in a brief phone interview early Monday that the officers involved in the episode had been wearing body cameras. Mr. Gonzalez said they would be interviewed after they had been given a chance to “decompress.”

[Occam's Banana]

Don't worry everyone. The Brave Heroes are getting a chance to "decompress" after shooting the kid.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/u...ting.html?_r=0

Officer Pedro Gonzalez, a police spokesman, said in a brief phone interview early Monday that the officers involved in the episode had been wearing body cameras. Mr. Gonzalez said they would be interviewed after they had been given a chance to “decompress.”

"decompress" = "concoct a story"

How often are mundanes "given a chance to 'decompress'" before being "interviewed" ... ?

[phill4paul]

"decompress" = "concoct a story"

How often are mundanes "given a chance to 'decompress'" before being "interviewed" ... ?

"Yes, officer I shot my AR-15 into a vehicle that was moving away from me, and I realize I killed an occupant, but could I come down to the station tomorrow or possibly the next day? I really need to decompress."

[jkr]

Not intentionally trigger happy as f***

[jkr]

Not intentionally trigger happy as $#@!

[jllundqu]

"We investigated ourselves and cleared ourselves of any wrongdoing."

[tod evans]

Texas police change story in brutal murder of 15yo honor roll student

https://www.rt.com/usa/386893-edward...-change-story/




Contrary to the original story put forward by Balch Springs police, the department's chief says a cop fired into a car, killing black teenager Jordan Edwards, that was driving away from officers to flee a party that had been reported to authorities.

On Monday, Jonathan Haber, the police chief in Balch Spring, Texas, said he reviewed officer body-camera footage of the April 29 shooting and determined that the initial account of that night given by the department was incorrect.

The suburban Dallas department had said Sunday in a news release that the car, in which 15-year-old Edwards was the front-seat passenger, was "backing down the street towards the officers in an aggressive manner." The department offered a revised account on Monday, declaring that the car had backed "into the main roadway," then "pulled forward as the officer continued to approach the vehicle giving verbal commands." The vehicle did not stop, driving away from the officer, prompting the cop to fire a rifle into the vehicle.

Edwards was shot in the head and died later at a local hospital.

Lee Merritt, the Edwards family's attorney, has said that neither Edwards nor any of the other four teens in the car were drinking at the party, none of them were armed with a weapon and none of them were initially sought by police.

The officer, who has not been named, has been placed on administrative duty. The Dallas County Sheriff's Department and the Dallas County District Attorney's Office are handing the investigation of the shooting.

"It did not meet our core values," Chief Haber said of the shooting on Monday, according to the Dallas Morning News. Haber added that he will not release footage of the shooting while the investigation is ongoing.

None of the other passengers in the car were injured, nor are they facing charges, according to Merritt.


....More at the link...

[SeanTX]

Shooter was fired today -- no charges yet.

[Brian4Liberty]

Seems that even the kids agree that shots were fired first by some unknown person, and the kids decided to get in the car and get out of there. So the cop came out, assumed that they had fired the shots and were fleeing, so he acted as judge, jury and executioner. Guess that quick "trial' came to a wrong decision. Perhaps they can file an appeal?

[Occam's Banana]

Seems that even the kids agree that shots were fired first by some unknown person, and the kids decided to get in the car and get out of there. So the cop came out, assumed that they had fired the shots and were fleeing, so he acted as judge, jury and executioner.

SERVED. AND. PROTECTED.

[Brian4Liberty]

SERVED. AND. PROTECTED.

Extremely efficient. Not so good on accuracy, fairness or justice.

[SeanTX]

Looks like the killer's family is using a war-induced "PTSD" excuse. Oh and he's a wonderful parent (with his wife and gf having had his two kids just a few days apart ).

I guess that's neither here nor there, nor is the part about his dad being a sex offender -- but nice to see them to dig up dirt on the killers for a change ( I guess they haven't been able to find any pics yet of the victim flashing gang signs or anything like that).

Predictably, he is already fighting for his job back (for ONCE I'd love to see one hang his head in shame and say, "yeah, I screwed up, and I'm not fit to be a cop"). We've got them so spoiled they don't even worry about going to prison -- the first priority is to demand their job back.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...PTSD-Iraq.html

EXCLUSIVE: Parents of Texas cop who killed unarmed black schoolboy say he is Iraq vet with PTSD and a 'family man' with two toddlers born 12 days apart to wife and girlfriend

By Ben Ashford In Dallas, Texas For Dailymail.com

Published: 12:49 EDT, 4 May 2017 | Updated: 13:51 EDT, 4 May 2017

The family of a Dallas police officer accused of shooting dead an unarmed black schoolboy claim he is the 'perfect father figure' who may have been suffering from PTSD when he opened fire.

snip

Roy Oliver's mother Linda told DailyMail.com her son would not have endangered Jordan Edwards because he has two toddlers. His ex-wife Amy Michelle gave birth to his daughter Alexa on July July 3, 2015. His son Tab was born 12 days later by his girlfriend
snip

'He's a wonderful family man and father. He has two precious little ones himself,' Oliver's mother Linda Oliver, 64, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.

'He is very honorable, very community driven. He was raised to consider more than just himself, to think about the community, and I've very proud of him and the choices he's made.

snip

Speaking to DailyMail.com at his home in Fort Worth, Texas, Oliver senior said his son had completed two tours of duty in Iraq. rising to the the rank of sergeant.

He was on active duty from 2004, and deployed to Iraq from October 2004 until September 2005 and again from January to November 2009, the Dallas Morning News reported.

He said his son had suffered PTSD-like symptoms and flashbacks to his time in combat that could be triggered by 'loud bangs, fireworks or gunfire.'

'It could have been that. He was under a lot of mental strain,' Oliver snr said. 'He's seen a lot of death and destruction. He doesn't talk about it too much, not even to me.

'I haven't spoken to him about what happened yet but he loved being a police officer and his desire is to remain a police officer.

snip

[SeanTX]

Pretty unusual, usually it would take a grand jury indictment first -- which is so rare maybe they figured they'd best go ahead and get the mock trial proceedings underway -- I think what happened last July must have gotten their attention.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Fir...421495023.html

Fired Balch Springs Officer Who Killed Jordan Edwards Faces Murder Charge

snip


A fired Balch Springs officer faces a murder charge in the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards over the weekend as he left a party, according to the Dallas County Sheriff's Office.

A warrant was issued Friday afternoon.

The officer, Roy Oliver, has not yet been arrested.

The Dallas County Sheriff's Office released the following statement Friday:

"An arrest warrant for murder was issued on May 5, 2017 for Roy Oliver. The warrant was issued due to evidence that suggested Mr. Oliver intended to cause serious bodily injury and commit an act clearly dangerous to human life that caused the death of an individual. The warrant gives any peace officer the authority to arrest Roy Oliver for the crime of murder. Mr. Oliver can also turn himself in to any peace officer if he so chooses. The investigation into the death of Jordan Edwards will continue and does not conclude with the arrest of Roy Oliver."

[Cleaner44]

At least the Balch Springs Police Department is working to maintain the integrity of their unit. We need more of this from police departments. Hold bad cops accountable.

Texas officer who killed black teenager leaving party is charged with murder
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.291f0b8492b0

[SeanTX]

At least the Balch Springs Police Department is working to maintain the integrity of their unit. We need more of this from police departments. Hold bad cops accountable.

It seems to be a unit with no integrity (like most cop shops). The only reason this cop got fired and charged is because the video didn't match the lies.

The shot kid's brother was kidnapped and held overnight, and they threatened to do the same with the father because he got "irate" with them. So, lots more cleaning to be done (the whole force should probably be disbanded).

[Cleaner44]

It seems to be a unit with no integrity (like most cop shops). The only reason this cop got fired and charged is because the video didn't match the lies.

The shot kid's brother was kidnapped and held overnight, and they threatened to do the same with the father because he got "irate" with them. So, lots more cleaning to be done (the whole force should probably be disbanded).

Well this is a welcome picture to me...

[Suzanimal]

DALLAS (AP) - The family of a black 15-year-old is suing the white police officer who shot and killed him, as well as the officer's suburban Dallas police department.

Jordan Edwards' funeral was Saturday, one week after he was shot dead in a vehicle leaving a chaotic house party in Balch Springs.

Lawyers for the Edwards family say Officer Roy Oliver used a rifle to shoot at the vehicle as it was driving away, piercing a passenger window and striking Edwards. Oliver was fired and arrested last week on a murder charge.

The lawsuit, filed Friday, says police should have known Oliver had "exhibited a pattern of escalating encounters with the public," including a prosecutor's complaint about his aggressive behavior detailed in personnel records.
...

Read more: http://www.cbs46.com/story/35363977/...#ixzz4gQjvDnHm

[Danke]

@TheTexan is absent from this thread.

[oyarde]

@TheTexan is absent from this thread.

He could be in Balch Springs looking at job opportunities .

[TheTexan]

The vehicle did not stop, driving away from the officer, prompting the cop to fire a rifle into the vehicle.

Let the record be set straight, this should read:

driving threateningly away from the officer

[TheTexan]

I'm glad the Officer is OK but it's a damn shame he's being given so much grief for shooting someone in a dangerous vehicle

Vehicles are one of the top leading causes of deaths in America

[Suzanimal]

Texas police officer charged with killing 15yo black boy indicted on unrelated assault charges

A former Balch Springs officer who was charged with the murder of Jordan Edwards, 15, has now been charged with two counts of aggravated assault for pointing a gun at a woman after a minor car accident.

Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson announced Friday that a grand jury indicted Roy Oliver, 37, on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a public servant, according to KTVT.

The new assault charges stem from an incident in April, less than two weeks before Edwards was shot. Oliver allegedly pulled a gun on a woman and her 13-year-old son after they were involved in a fender-bender.

Monique Arredondo said she was driving her sisters and her niece to a birthday party when she rear-ended Oliver. When he got out of the car, Arredondo said that Oliver had a gun in his hands and seemed to be “real angry.”

“I just see a guy coming up to me and I’m like, I’m about to die,” Arredondo said, according to KTVT. “He already had the gun out. So when he came up, he… pointed it at me and asked for my information.”

Oliver was not on-duty at the time, and Arredondo said he never informed her that he was a police officer.

When the Dallas police arrived on the scene, Oliver allegedly told them he had identified himself to Arredondo as a police officer, and that he held his gun at his side pointed at the ground. Arredondo filed a complaint, refuting Oliver’s statements.

“The gun was pointed at my head,” Arredondo said, according to the New York Times. “It was not in a downward position. I never said that to anybody. It’s a lie. He did not have his badge showing. All I saw was a bald man with dark black sunglasses and a gun in his hand.”

The responding police determined that no offense had occurred and let him go.

After the indictment on Friday, the Dallas County district attorney's office announced Oliver’s bond for the murder case had been increased from $300,000 to $500,000, bringing his bond for all three charges to $700,000, according to the Dallas Morning News.

"With the two aggravated assault cases, we've got a pattern now, so we think he's very, very likely a danger to the community and that's why we asked the judge to raise the bond," First Assistant District Attorney Michael Snipes said, according to the Dallas Morning News.

In her statement, Johnson said that if Oliver is convicted, each assault charge carries a sentence of five to 99 years in prison.

...

https://www.rt.com/usa/393822-balch-...sault-charges/

[Lamp]

I'm glad the Officer is OK but it's a damn shame he's being given so much grief for shooting someone in a dangerous vehicle

Vehicles are one of the top leading causes of deaths in America

Obviously invisible horse and carriages are the leading cause of death worldwide

[phill4paul]

https://www.rt.com/usa/393822-balch-...sault-charges/

"With the two aggravated assault cases, we've got a pattern now, so we think he's very, very likely a danger to the community and that's why we asked the judge to raise the bond," First Assistant District Attorney Michael Snipes said, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Sherlocks couldn't deduce this until someone actually died.

[William Tell]

Texas Cop Who Killed Jordan Edwards Charged With Murder

Dallas County district attorney on Roy Oliver: He is “very, very likely a danger to the community.”



On April 29, then-officer Roy Oliver shot and killed unarmed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards. Yesterday (July 17), Oliver (37), who was formerly employed by the Balch Springs (Texas) Police Department, was indicted for that fatal shooting.

The Dallas Morning News reports that a Dallas County grand jury indicted Oliver, who is White, on a murder charge as well as four counts of aggravated assault by a public servant for shooting in a car that held five teenagers.

As Colorlines previously reported following the shooting:

On April 29, 15-year-old Jordan Edwards attended a house party in Balch Springs, a Dallas, Texas, suburb. After hearing gunshots, he and four other teens headed to their car. Moments later, a still unnamed officer with the Balch Springs Police Department shot through a passenger side window and shot the unarmed Black teen in the head. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The police department issued a statement via Facebook the next day, saying that officers were responding to a 911 call about drunk underage kids. The statement says the cops heard gunshots, then engaged in an “unknown altercation with a vehicle backing down the street towards the officers in an aggressive manner.”

Yesterday (May 1), the department released an updated statement about the shooting, saying that the vehicle was actually moving forward—away from law enforcement—when the officer shot Edwards, who was in the front passenger seat.

The change in narrative came after Balch Springs police Chief Jonathan Haber watched body camera footage that showed the trajectory of the car. “After reviewing the video,” Haber said at a press conference yesterday (May 1), “I don’t believe that [the shooting] met our core values.”

Family attorney Lee Merritt told press that he is pleased with the indictment. “Far too often we see cases where there’s been a lack of comparable effort in cases that are equally deserving,” he said. “We are satisfied with this step.”

https://www.colorlines.com/articles/...charged-murder

[Anti Federalist]

Convicted.

Amazing.



White cop found guilty of murder for killing unarmed black teen

https://nypost.com/2018/08/28/white-...ed-black-teen/

By Associated Press August 28, 2018 | 3:45pm

A white former Texas police officer has been found guilty of murder for fatally shooting an unarmed black teenager as he left a house party in a car full of teenagers.

Jurors convicted Roy Oliver on Tuesday in a Dallas County courtroom.

Oliver was fired from the Balch Springs Police Department days after the April 2017 shooting.

Oliver killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards when he fired into a moving car carrying five black teenagers leaving a local house party.

Edwards was in the front passenger seat.

Oliver testified that he opened fire after seeing the car move toward his partner. He says he thought his partner was in danger. But his partner told jurors he didn’t fear for his life and never felt the need to fire his weapon.

[SeanTX]

JustUs still wins : sentenced to only 15 years, and a $10,000 fine. Still something I guess, if he can't win an appeal.

http://www.fox4news.com/news/punishm...rial-continues