Police Officer Shoots, Kills Man Outside East Side Gas Station

El Paso Police have identified both the officer and the attacker involved in Friday morning’s shooting.

Officials tell ABC-7 that Officer Paul McDowell, a two-year veteran of the force, shot Javier Flores, Jr. Police say Flores slashed McDowell on the cheek, chin and left hand.

According to a police spokesman, McDowell responded to a service call at the Valero gasoline station at about 12:44 Friday morning.

McDowell was then approached by Flores, who then allegedly tried to get into his patrol unit. The police spokesman said Flores had a knife and then attacked McDowell. At that point, Officer McDowell was forced to shoot and kill Flores, the spokesman added.

An ABC-7 photographer recorded footage of an El Paso police officer being lifted into an ambulance. At this point, it’s unknown if Flores was intoxicated or if he had caused any problems at the Valero gasoline station.

A man who lives near the shopping center where the shooting happened tells ABC-7 he heard four quick gunshots and then police started arriving at the gasoline station. “This is a pretty safe neighborhood, so this all seems pretty strange to me,” he said.

ABC-7 stopped by the nearby home of Flores, Jr. to see if any family members wished to share anything about him. Our crew was asked to leave.