TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — The Texas Rangers and Temple Police Department are investigating a Thursday night shooting which leaves a man dead.
According to a media release from the City of Temple, an officer reported seeing a suspicious person around 9:50 Thursday night on W Avenue G.
Two officers tried to talk to the man, but he ran off down the alley toward 25th Street.
The release says the officers tried to speak to the man, with one officer telling him, “Hey, don’t reach into your pocket”. An officer then said to the other, “He’s got a knife”. That's when officers placed the suspect at gunpoint.
Over the next few minutes, officers tried to get the suspect to back down, saying, “I’m not trying to kill you. I was just trying to talk to you”. But the officers at the scene said the man refused to drop what he was holding, which officers believed to be a weapon.
At 9:55 p.m., the department says the suspect moved toward an officer in an aggressive manner and said, “I’m not going to stop. Pull the trigger, I’m not going to jail. Get those lights out my eyes. Pull the trigger."
After exchanging more words, the suspect advanced again toward an officer. At that point both officers fired their weapons. He was later pronounced dead.
This is when officers noted the shiny object in the suspect's hand was not a knife, but two mechanical pencils.
Following policy, both officers involved are on administrative leave with pay while the Texas Rangers investigate.
