Police Say Man Killed After Robbing Plainclothes Officer
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (AP) – A man was shot and killed after robbing and getting into a gun battle with a man who turned out to be a plainclothes detective, authorities said.
The Grand Prairie detective, whose name was not released, had finished an undercover operation involving businesses selling alcohol to minors Thursday at about 11:20 p.m.
An armed man identified as Stephen T. Richards, 22, of Beaumont, approached the officer, unaware of who he was, said detective John Brimmer. Richards ordered him to place his wallet on top of the car and to lie face down on the seat, Brimmer said.
After the officer was able to grab his own gun and get out of the car, shots were exchanged between the two men, and Richards kept shooting as the detective chased him into a nearby motel breezeway, Brimmer said.
Although the detective ordered Richards to stop and drop his weapon, saying he was a police officer, the suspect ran toward a parked sport utility vehicle as the gunfire continued, Brimmer said.
Then Richards ran around the corner of a building and confronted the detective, who fatally shot him. Brimmer said police later found the detective’s wallet in Richards’ pocket.
A woman had driven Richards to the hotel in the SUV but fled during the gun battle and called police. It’s unclear if the woman faces any charges. The SUV was reported stolen from Beaumont.
The officer will be placed on paid leave, but it does not appear that he violated any laws or department rules, Brimmer said. It was the second police shooting in as many days in North Texas.
After Fort Worth police responded to a call about an apparent suicidal man Wednesday, Officer T.S. O’Brien fatally shot Clarence McNeill, 68, after he raised his gun, said Lt. Dan Draper.
As officers went toward the porch to check on McNeill, another officer shot a dog that lunged at them, but the dog survived and was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic, Draper said.
The initial investigation shows that the shooting appeared justified, said Fort Worth police Lt. Paul Henderson.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
