Officer in Viral Video Wasn’t Looting Liquor Store, DPD Says

The video making social media rounds, the one that shows a Dallas Police Department officer carrying two liquor bottles in front of a tornado-damaged liquor store in North Dallas, has an innocuous explanation, according to the department. The officer, who has yet to be identified, was actually trying to prevent...

By Stephen Young

October 22, 2019

DPD says the officer seen carrying bottles of tequila out of a tornado-damaged liquor store wasn't planning a party after work. Getty Images

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The video making social media rounds, the one that shows a Dallas Police Department officer carrying two liquor bottles in front of a tornado-damaged liquor store in North Dallas, has an innocuous explanation, according to the department. The officer, who has yet to be identified, was actually trying to prevent a theft rather than committing one, DPD says.

Is it just me, or did one of the news stations in #Dallas legit just catch a cop looting Patron out of a liqour store after the tornado? #dallasweather pic.twitter.com/ZrnIrBNNFC
— (((GoonyBeardMan))) (@wholeenchilada) October 21, 2019

"The business sustained a considerable amount of damage due to the storm, leaving it accessible to the public," the department said late Monday. "When the officer noticed criminal activity, he called for backup or cover at approximately 10:25 p.m. Below is a link to that call made by the officer in question to dispatch. His actual call sign is C543. On the audio, he identifies himself as Charley 43."

Here's the audio from the dispatch call: The officer — again, this is according to the department — confronted a woman with two bottles of alcohol. He took the bottles from the woman and, as can be seen on the video, set them on the ground.

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