UPDATE: Man shot by police overnight dies

A man shot by police overnight Sunday has died.

Police say a 22-year-old Eric John Wilson threatened to “shoot it out with officers,” and told them he had two handguns and a rifle. Police Wilson then appeared to pull an object from behind his back and pointed an object at officers then walked towards them.

That’s when police say the officers shot at Wilson because they believed the object was a handgun. Police later learned that Wilson was holding a cell phone and did not have any weapons on him.

Wilson was taken to UMC where he died. The shooting is still under investigation. Both officers, a patrol officer and a sergeant, have been placed on administrative leave.

***ORIGINAL STORY***

According to El Paso police spokesman Sgt. Enrique Carrillo, it happened on the 7100 block of Tierra Taos shortly after midnight.

Police tell ABC-7 several police officers responded to reports of a man threatening to commit suicide. The first two responding officers found the man outside a house, and had been told he threatened to shoot any officer who tried to approach him.

When the officers approached, Sgt. Carrillo said the man “confronted officers and made threatening statements. While threatening officers (the man) made an overt gesture leading both officers to discharge their firearms.” Carrillo said the officers feared for their safety and fired their weapons, hitting the suspect. He was taken to University Medical Center.

Detectives from Crimes Against Persons and members of the shooting review team were at the scene of the shooting for hours Sunday morning. ABC-7 has also learned the Texas Rangers will investigate the shooting, which is standard procedure.