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 Christian Taylor, a 19-year-old college football player at Angelo
State University, became the latest unarmed black man to die at the
hands of a white police officer after officials said he was seen on
security surveillance tape vandalizing cars at an auto dealership in
Arlington.
Taylor was shot multiple times by Arlington police officer Brad
Miller, 49, who was still undergoing training with the department,
police said.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office found Taylor had
gunshot wounds to the neck, chest and abdomen.
Johnson said Miller made bad decisions in communicating with fellow
officers and initially approaching Taylor on his own without a plan
for arrest.
"This demonstrated questionable decision-making on the part of
Officer Miller that contributed to the outcome of this event,"
Johnson told a news conference. "I have found several decisions made
on scene to be troubling," he added.
There were five other officers on scene, including the training
officer for Miller, Corporal Dale Wiggins, who tried to use a Taser
to subdue the suspect, he said.
"Based on a preponderance of evidence available to me and facts
revealed by the investigative team, I have decided to terminate
Officer Miller's employment with the Arlington police department for
exercising poor judgment," Johnson said. Johnson said
investigators would prepare a criminal case in the matter for
prosecutors to present to a grand jury, which can decide whether to
charge the officer. He said his office has been in contact with
federal officials but there was no formal probe by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.
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The police chief said Miller tracked the suspect on his own without
properly communicating with other officers. He cornered him in a
room in the dealership, where Taylor began approaching him and
refused commands to surrender.
By that time, training officer Wiggins was with Miller. As Taylor
approached, Miller fired a single shot and Wiggins fired a Taser.
Miller then fired three more shots to subdue the suspect, the police
chief said.
Adrian Taylor Sr., the victim's father, said "there are no winners
in this situation."
"No matter what decision is made, it doesn't bring my son back," he
told Reuters.
(Additional reporting by Marice Richter in Dallas; Writing by Jon
Herskovitz; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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Officer
fired for 'troubling' decisions in shooting of Texas teen
