Dallas Police: Officer Killed Serving Warrant
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ― Dallas Police say an officer in their gang unit was shot and killed Tuesday night.
Initial reports indicate the officer was shot while trying to serve an arrest warrant at the Oakwood Place Apartments on the 4900 block of Wadsworth Dr. near Loop 12.
Police and SWAT officers are still at the location. They say the suspect has barricaded themselves inside one of the units. Police are reportedly negotiating with friends and family who are currently with the suspect.
Video from TXA 21 News crews showed an increasing number of tactical units headed into the complex as the negotiations continued.
Police evacuated the apartment units around the area and have blocked off roads near the complex.
Police say the officer was married to another high-ranking Dallas officer. Fellow officers and police from other departments gathered at Baylor Hospital to show their support.
Stay with CBS11TV.com for more details on this developing story.
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This is a breaking story and details are not all out. I will be updating this story as more news becomes available.
A Dallas police officer has died after being shot in the face tonight at an east Oak Cliff apartment.
Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle identified the slain officer as Senior Cpl. Norman Smith, 43.
“He was a great, great police officer,” said Kunkle, visibly shaken at a press conference late this evening.
The shooting happened about 6:15 p.m. at the Oakwood Place Apartments in the 4900 block of Wadsworth Drive, near Loop 12 and East Ledbetter Drive.
Dallas police Lt. Andy Harvey said several officers were serving a felony aggravated assault warrant when Cpl. Smith knocked on an apartment door and was shot.
“They went to the front door, knocked on it and they were met with gun fire,” said Lt. Harvey, a department spokesman.
Three people were taken into custody after the shooting.
An hour later, the complex was still surrounded by Dallas police officers, and a SWAT unit was on the scene.
Many other officers were visibly emotional as they gathered at the hospital. Cpl. Smith would have celebrated his 18-year anniversary with the force on Wednesday. He had spent the past 12 years in the gang unit
His wife, Lt. Regina Smith, works in Kunkle’s office. The chief described them as a magical couple.
“For me personally, this is a really, really difficult situation,” he said.
Cpl. Smith was very well regarded within the department and across the community, Kunkle said.
“He could go into the toughest neighborhoods and be respected,” he said.
Kunkle said Cpl. Smith, who had been a departmental officer of the year, came into work at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
“Norm was doing exactly what he wanted to do,” Kunkle said. “He was a great, great officer and had the heart of a warrior
Dallas police identify officer killed after being shot in the face
My thoughts are with the family and friends of this fallen Officer. I am not a religious man but I do care. Thank you Fred.
Does the fallen officer’s service indicate that the suspected shooter was in a gang? If so what gang?
I’m about at the point that I feel that gang associations should be treated the same as terrorist associations.
God bless him and his family. My prayers are with them.
Hyunchback; it already can be done in a similar manner using the RICO Act. Look up “Mongols MC.”
Gang violence is spreading down here. So are home invasions.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/37195439.html
Comments are interesting: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Man_shoots_home_invaders_killing_1.html?c=y&viewAllComments=y
That’s the problem with warrant service. Suspects know generally how they’ll react and what they’ll do; you know little. Many factors involved. Yes, it was a felony assault warrant but, absent specific circumstances, you don’t always conduct every warrant service as a tac-op. Clearly, he was a warrior and exited, as so many warriors, doing what he wanted and needed to do: BE a warrior. God bless him and him family and the department in this time of sorrow.
I fear that one day we’ll call for more warriors and not only few will answer, but those who answer will be excoriated for doing so.
BZ
Though I’ve had my share of unfair treatment from officers because of bad timing and out right prejudice, it saddens me when I read or hear about a public servant, so willing to protect and serve, being killed.
It’s unfair to their families especially. I personally would never want my family member out there doing the work of public servants. That’s Tish being selfish. My father was an officer when he lived in California, way before my birth. The majority of my uncles have served in the military and so forth.
I pray for his family, and hope they know his dying was not in vain.