EDINBURG — City police officers shot and killed a man they believed may have been armed after he barricaded himself in a vehicle for over an hour.
Police described him as aggressive, but could not confirm whether he was actually armed Tuesday afternoon.
The shooting happened on a private road near the intersection of East Rogers and Doolittle roads, a couple of hundred yards north of Memorial Middle School, which was locked down as a precaution.
Edinburg Police Chief Jaime Ayala said the department received a call from a concerned citizen at about 12:08 p.m. who reported a red truck driving recklessly in the area of the 2800 block of East Rogers Road.
Officers arrived in the area and saw a vehicle matching that description, Ayala said.
“Officers attempted to make contact with the driver of the truck, who then fled on foot towards a residence, retrieving an object that appeared to be a weapon,” he said.
Police began negotiating with the man, who had “barricaded” himself in the truck and did not respond, Ayala said.
“Family members advised our officers that the suspect informed them that he had a gun and that he had a surprise for the police,” he said.
According to Ayala, a Texas Department of Public Safety air unit also appeared to see the man pointing a gun.
After about an hour-and-a-half, Ayala said, the man exited his vehicle, advanced toward officers in an “aggressive manner,” holding an “object” in his hand.
“At that time, officers fired their weapons, striking the suspect and stopping the threat,” Ayala said. “Officers then began providing medical first aid on the suspect, who was transported to a local hospital, where he passed away.”
Ayala could not confirm Tuesday whether that object was a firearm, how many officers shot at the suspect, or whether he shot at police. No officers were injured.
“I ask that you be patient throughout this investigation and keep all parties involved in today’s critical incident in your prayers,” he said.
The criminal investigation will be conducted by the Texas Rangers while an internal investigation will be conducted by Edinburg’s internal affairs unit, Ayala said.
He noted that a significant downpour in the area had somewhat hampered the investigator’s crime scene processing.
Memorial Middle School was placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure, Ayala said.
“There’s no threat to the school,” he added. “There was never a threat to the school.”
Several police units, including the department’s major crimes unit, were visible on the private road. A vehicle with the Texas Municipal Police Association also arrived at the scene later in the day.
Police closed Doolittle Road after the shooting to traffic, excluding parents of students at the school, who were allowed through.
Parents and family parked on the side of the road a little before 2 p.m., some visibly panicked. They ran through the rain onto campus.
Two police units and a white sports car were parked in the road near the entrance of the school.
Juan Perez, who was at the school to pick up his 13-year-old daughter, was one of the concerned parents gathered outside the school.
“I heard something happened,” he said. “I think there was a shooter or something.”
Perez said his daughter sent him pictures from inside the school that depicted what seemed like a lockdown.
“They had them in the cafeteria,” he said. “They were all on the ground.”
According to Edinburg CISD, the lockdown was lifted by 2:43 p.m.
Ayala said Edinburg CISD police also responded to the incident preceding the shooting.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story requires correction. A white sports car was parked in front of Memorial Middle School.
