Brian Sevald
Audio By Carbonatix
Dallas Police say a man shot and killed another man Thursday afternoon before turning his gun on police when they responded to the scene. An officer who was shot during the incident was protected by his bulletproof vest and survived. Police have named 45-year-old Juan Lopez as the shooter.
According to police, Lopez fired at officers when they arrived at the scene in the 4800 block of Scyene Road. The suspect had allegedly just shot a man sitting in a pickup truck in a nearby gas station parking lot. Footage of the incident shows the shooting with a police squad car in the background.
According to NBCDFW, video captured by a witness shows an armed man talking with the driver of a white pickup truck. The man then walked to the passenger side and opened fire into the truck.
Officers returned fire and Lopez fled the scene.
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The suspect was chased to the 4700 block of Second Avenue where he exchanged gunfire with police again. The officer was struck in the vest during this exchange. The injured officer was taken to Baylor Scott & White after the incident but the suspect remained at large until Thursday evening when he was taken into custody in Lewisville.
According to CBS News, Lopez was arrested without incident but had a gunshot wound to his leg from earlier that day. Lopez has been charged with murder, one count of aggravated assault, and four counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer. He was taken to the Dallas County Jail.
“We are very fortunate.” – Mike Mata, Dallas Police Association
The victim of the initial shooting died from his injuries. The identity of the victim won’t be released until his family is notified, but police have determined that they knew the suspect. Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said during a press conference the day of the shooting that the officer who was shot was stable and in good spirits. The officer was later discharged from the hospital.
Kristen Lowman, a DPD spokesperson, told the Observer this is the third officer shot in the line of duty this year. It also marks the ninth shooting involving officers this year. The department’s Wellness Unit was on the scene and reached out to the officers involved.
“There’s support from the department in terms of the Wellness Unit and the resources they have,” Lowman said.
The department created the Wellness Unit last year to check in on officers after incidents such as shootings. Officers can then seek counseling through the department. Counseling can also be provided to officers’ families.
An administrative investigation will now take place and a special investigations unit will also look into the incident. Footage of the police shooting is set to be released at a press conference on Monday.
Mike Mata, president of the Dallas Police Association, said he has seen a lot of officers shot over the years. He commended the actions of the officer who was shot and his partner. “It never gets surprising to me, the level of professionalism that officers show in high-stress situations,” he said. “These two guys did an amazing job.”
“These two guys have probably driven those streets thousands of times and in an instant, hearing gunshots, go quickly to investigate it,” Mata said. “And next thing you know, they’re in a firefight for their life.”
Mata noted that what situations like this tell officers is they always have to be prepared for anything to happen. “It just reiterates that inner belief that they have inside them that when it goes bad that they’re going to do the right thing, that they’re going to react appropriately and protect themselves and the community,” he said.
Mata knows both officers and he reached out to them Friday morning. The command staff will also communicate with them regularly while they’re on leave. Both told Mata the same thing: “They’re ready to come back to work,” he said. “That just shows the commitment they have to this profession, the commitment they have to the citizens of Dallas, and their dedication to service.”
Mata said there are a lot of things the officers will have to do before they’re able to get back on the streets. They’re required to get recertified to use their duty firearm. They also have to go back to the academy for some short reality-based training to make sure they’re feeling well enough to be placed back in high-stress situations. The two will also be required to go to psychological services to make sure they’re mentally and physically able to do the job.
“Overall,” Mata said, “we are very fortunate.”
