Critical Incidents Report for January 2020

In January, TMPA opened 16 case files for critical incidents Critical incidents are cases in which an officer’s actions, conduct, or omissions resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of a person; or could have resulted in such harm as a result of the officer intentionally discharging his or her firearm. These critical incidents involved members from various agencies throughout the state including: Garland Police Department, Greenville Police Department, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department, Killeen Police Department, Laredo Police Department, Lubbock Police Department, McAllen Police Department, Midland Police Department, Parker County Sheriff’s Department, Plano Police Department, Refugio County Sheriff’s Department, San Angelo Police Department, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Valley Mills Police Department, Victoria County Sheriff’s Department, and included the following:

  1. Member fired duty weapon in attempt to stop suspect armed with a knife.
  2. Member was involved in an on-duty shooting, fatally wounding suspect.
  3. Member was involved in a pursuit that ended in a crash, possibly killing suspect.
  4. Member was involved in a shooting where neither the member nor suspect were hit.
  5. Member responded to a domestic violence situation where the suspect was armed and pointed a gun at the officers and was shot.
  6. Member was assisting another agency with a call of an armed suspect. The suspect pointed a firearm at the member and the member shot at the suspect but missed. The suspect then surrendered and was taken into custody.
  7. Member and other officers were involved in a vehicle pursuit. The suspect vehicle slowed, and when officers attempted to surround it, it began to evade. Member fired service weapon at suspect’s tire as suspect was driving toward member. Suspect vehicle was later stopped, and suspect was taken into custody. No officers were injured.
  8. Member was involved in a pursuit and standoff which resulted in member discharging weapon.
  9. Member was serving a warrant and discharged service weapon. Another officer fired weapon, striking the suspect.
  10. Member was involved in an on-duty shooting where suspect pointed a weapon at the member. The member discharged service weapon, striking suspect.
  11. Member pursued a suspect vehicle that was thought to have an intoxicated driver. While traveling at speeds exceeding 55 mph, a passenger jumped out of the suspect vehicle. The driver crashed into a residence and was pronounced dead at the scene. Passenger was transported to the hospital.

TMPA provides legal services to our members using private practice attorneys. Without the dedication of many contract attorneys, TMPA would not be able to offer law enforcement officers the best legal protection plan in the State.