Frightened Texas Cop Shoots His Own Son After Mistaking Him for Intruder

(TMU) — An off-duty Texas police officer accidentally shot his son after mistaking the adult for an intruder, a police spokesperson said.

The officer, who was an off-duty officer with the Dallas Police Department, opened fire on his son during the incident, which took place in DeSoto, a suburb just south of Dallas. Following the shooting, the officer contacted local police.

When officers arrived, they found the victim, who is in his 20s, bleeding from his forearm. The son was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

Pete Schulte, a spokesman for the DeSoto Police, told KTVT:

“It was a startling situation, it was an accident.

And fortunately, we’re very happy that it did not result in serious bodily injury or death.”

No charges have been filed for the shooting that occurred after the off-duty officer returned to his home on Saturday, realizing that it wasn’t in the same state that he had left it. The officer reportedly wasn’t aware that his son was at the home.

Police haven’t released the identities of the officer or his son until further details are confirmed, the department said.

Schulte added:

“The DeSoto Police Department has treated this like every other case that we would have had and we would’ve handled it the exact same way that if any charges are appropriate later on, they’ll be forwarded over to the DA’s office for them to make a decision.”

The incident follows the recent police killing of Atatiana Jefferson, a 28-year-old black woman in Texas who was killed inside her home as she was playing video games with her eight-year-old nephew.

Police arrived at Jefferson’s home after a neighbor called a non-emergency police number out of concern that Jefferson’s front door was wide open.

When police and searched the perimeter, they saw a figure at the window. Officers then demanded that the person place their hands in the air before they rapidly proceeded to fire a shot through the glass, instantly killing Jefferson in her own bedroom.

Video footage of the incident recovered from the officer’s body camera show the officer opening fire on Jackson within seconds of seeing her.

The Fort Worth Police Department claims that the officer, who is white, had “perceived a threat” before drawing his weapon and opening fire on the young woman. The officer is now facing a murder charge for the killing of Jefferson.

That shooting also took place less than two weeks after an off-duty police officer, who is also white, was sent to jail after murdering a black man, Botham Jean, in his own Dallas apartment less than 35 miles from where Saturday’s incident occurred.

By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com