Officer Reynaldo Contreras arrived at Patrick Warren’s home on Jan. 10 after Warren’s family called for psychiatric help.
In the video, Contreras can be seen letting into the house after being told by someone inside to enter. Contreras hurried out as Warren began screaming and advancing toward him.
Warren can be seen in front of a residence advancing toward the officer in the front yard and disregarding verbal orders for him to lie down. After the officer pulls away and continues to issue warnings such as “You̵
Initially, Warren falls, but then stands up and continues to press against the officer. Contreras uses the taser again, but Warren continues to advance, and Contreras uses his firearm.
Warren, 52, was transported to a hospital and succumbed to his injuries.
The family lawyer calls it “one of the worst officer shootings I’ve ever seen.”
Merritt did not respond to calls from CNN on Thursday and Friday after the footage was released.
Contreras, a five-year veteran of the department, is on administrative leave, according to the Killeen Police Department. An investigation is currently underway by Texas Rangers, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Bell County District Attorney Henry Garza directed all inquiries to Texas Rangers.
Police Chief Charles Kimball said this week that Contreras had done everything possible to use non-lethal force against Warren before deploying his firearm.
“I don’t see where he could have done anything else. I saw a police officer trying to handle a call, to escalate a call,” Kimball told reporters on Tuesday.
“Given the same circumstances, I just don’t know what else we could do,” he added.
Kimball said Contreras had more than the minimum amount of compulsory training, but said the police department was looking for ways to better deal with psychiatric calls.
On Saturday, Jan. 9, the day before the shooting, the county sent a mental health deputy to Warren’s home. Earlier, Merritt told CNN that the meeting with the district deputy went well. Warren volunteered to go to the hospital with that deputy tonight, but refused to stay in the hospital for further treatment.
When the family requested a mental health check the next day, a police officer was sent. According to Merritt, the family again wanted a deputy for mental health, not a police officer.
Asked why a police officer was stationed on Sunday, Kimball said the caller expressed concern about what they heard during the family call.
“It was a call for a psychiatrist,” Kimball said. “But because the caller was listening to the caller, if certain things were said or certain things were heard, this provoked a different response … This provoked a reaction from the police and a reaction from the firefighters and medics who were on standby. ”
CNN contacted the Killeen Police Association for comment, but has not yet received a response.
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