Cops: Dallas Shooting Suspect Has Died

Former Utah State Trooper Had Painkiller Addiction, Comitted Rush-Hour Slayings, Cops Say

(CBS/AP)  A former Utah state trooper suspected in several Dallas-area roadway shootings that killed at least one motorist died on Christmas Eve, a hospital official said.

Brian Smith died Wednesday night in Dallas, said nursing supervisor Arthur Clarke. The 37-year-old died around 6 p.m. at Parkland Hospital. The former state trooper had been clinging to life since early Tuesday morning when Garland police say he shot himself during a standoff, CBS Station KTVT reported.

Dallas police said they think Smith was responsible for at least one death that resulted from the shootings. Garland police were still trying to verify that the gun Smith used on himself was the same used in another man's death.

Dallas police Lt. Craig Miller said authorities were working to confirm that Smith was the gunman in separate shooting deaths minutes apart Monday on a Garland street and a Dallas interstate.

Earlier Wednesday, police shut down the freeway to re-examine the scene of one of several of the shootings.

Officials said both police departments were waiting for ballistics tests to come back for possible matches of bullet casings.

"It's just another thing that's part of the investigation," Miller said of the second freeway examination. "It's not a critical component. That's what we wanted to do, just check everything we can."

Warrants for Smith's arrest had been issued in the Fort Worth suburb of Southlake, where authorities have obtained evidence linking him to two robberies in the past eight days.

Police say Smith went to a Kroger pharmacy in Garland, Tex. around 5:30 Monday night. He said he wanted to refill a prescription, KTVT reported.

According to Garland Police Spokesperson Joe Harn, Smith was captured surveillance video robbing the pharmacy.

"He jumped over the counter with the gun, took oxycontin, jumped back over the counter and left the store," he said.

Oxycontin is the trade name for the painkiller oxycodone.

"An addiction to oxycodone can be life altering for people," said Dr. Jeff Phelps, a spine surgeon at North Hills Hospital. "It gets to the point where their main goal is to acquire more oxycodone," KTVT reported.

Dr. Phelps warns oxycodone may cause someone to only care about getting more of the drug, but it does not make a person snap. It can also cause feelings of despair and depression for someone already having psychological issues.

Both incidents involved thefts in which purses were stolen from women in vehicles parked at businesses near where Smith lived.

Police have tied Smith to the incidents through witness identification and video of him using a credit card belonging to one of the victims, Southlake police spokesman Mike Bedrich said.

Smith moved to Keller with his wife and children last spring, just months after his conduct came under scrutiny from the Utah Highway Patrol. His peace officer certification was revoked after he went on a drinking binge and threatened to kill himself.

In Utah, where Smith's problems as a trooper are just now coming to light, he's remembered as a good father who never lost his temper and coached youth soccer and basketball.

"This is a shock for everyone who knows Brian," said Michael Peterson, Smith's former bishop in the Mormon church. "Obviously, he was struggling with some things. But the Brian Smith that everyone around here knows would never have done any of these things."

Karen Baughman, a neighbor in Keller, said Smith and other members of his family showed up on her doorstep last Sunday with Christmas cookies they'd brought home from church.

"He was just hanging Christmas lights two weeks ago," she said. "I mean, this is dumbfounding."

The Garland shooting Monday happened at a major intersection, when a driver pulled up alongside a small Nissan and shot and killed the Nissan's driver, 20-year-old Jorge "George" Lopez of Rowlett, said Garland police spokesman Joe Harn.

Three semitrailer drivers were later shot at on Interstate 635, and one of those three died. William Scott Miller, a 42-year-old married father of two from Frankfort, Ky., was on his way to get on a plane to go home to his family for the holidays.

Harn said Garland police are still waiting for tests to determine if the gun Smith used on himself is the same one used in Lopez's death.

"I can tell you this: There's nothing telling us so far that it's not him," Harn said.

[seer57]

Ya just can''t trust police with guns can you?

[samrt-2009]

So many Texans, so little time.

[rsmik]

To the posters who think someone dropped the ball - are you talking about a crystal ball? Our laws protect every citizen''s civil rights, not just yours. This guy had to actually show cause that he could harm others or himself before anyone could begin to take any action to lock him up, and in the meantime, he could have still gone on a rampage.

[mtminds]

It''s bad enough worrying about someone going postal. Now we have to keep looking out for someone going trooper too.

[jackp32]

Ted Kennedy did it all by his lonesome self.

[jackp32]

I do not think that Oswald did it acting alone.

[rudy6543]

I''''m stuck on the people who knew, or should have known, that he was gonna blow. May I suggest that if you are a clergyman and spend time in a car with an armed, drunk, suicidal nutcase, you don''''t just drop him like dirt - you stay on him like white on rice until you are sure he''''s ok...and if you are in charge of cops somewhere and one of yours goes nutty in a big way, you arrange for some counseling and then follow up with phone calls and visits by fellow officers, assigned and on-the-clock, to try and straighten him out before he goes off the deep end...cops and clergy get paid to spot nutcases and talk them down and many of them do just that on a regular basis (thank you), but several somebodies dropped the ball on this poor ba$**** and I hope the realize it and try to do better next time.


Posted by sbelknap01 at 04:24 PM

You make a good point. In fact, this article reveals that the fact that he threatened to kill himself some time ago and therefore lost his job was reason enough for the police department to do its job and make sure the community at large was protected.

[dennisgreen5]

Cops are human too and can be deveived by satan as easily as anybody else.

[sbelknap01]

I know it''s probably futile to try and figure out who to blame here, but the poor nutcase is dead and gone and I''m stuck on the people who knew, or should have known, that he was gonna blow. May I suggest that if you are a clergyman and spend time in a car with an armed, drunk, suicidal nutcase, you don''t just drop him like dirt - you stay on him like white on rice until you are sure he''s ok...and if you are in charge of cops somewhere and one of yours goes nutty in a big way, you arrange for some counseling and then follow up with phone calls and visits by fellow officers, assigned and on-the-clock, to try and straighten him out before he goes off the deep end...cops and clergy get paid to spot nutcases and talk them down and many of them do just that on a regular basis (thank you), but several somebodies dropped the ball on this poor ba$**** and I hope the realize it and try to do better next time.

[rudy6543]

The white cop shot an innocent Hispanic boy about 20 years old just getting started in life. I don''t know why they are trying to save this man''s life, worthless as he is anyway.

[backin4yrs]

This white cop from Utah shoots at hispanic driver? Hummmmmmmm!

[barbaram99]

The cop knew better. Every one has problems. The right to bear arms I gave up mine for the reason of legal blindness. Ye don''t take yer gun and shoot others for the thrill of it. The fool lost his freedom and sent others to the grave. It is not the gun that kills by itself but the handler that does. Banning the gun won''t work. Hollywoodland is part of it as children got a diet of them shoot ''em up TV shows that males call action. Mum said visual games would be a problem with them as well. Maybe so.
from the article it sounds like a person that had no business having firearm to have pulled that mess. High on painkillers to boot. Not fit to carry it.

[hunterdon6]

Our government can''t be every where to protect us. They actually stop very very few crimes from happening. That is why it is up to the honest law abiding citizen to protect themselves. My next protection is a Kimber 45cal with laser!

[bushwhacked8]

"Cops: Dallas Shooting Suspect Was Troubled"

Aren''t most shooting suspects troubled in some way or another? Isn''t that just a given? Good job to the investigators for clearing that up.

[three-o-six]

Rosie

I agree - we have to take responsibility for our own security -- to believe that the government, be if city, state or federal, can offer that protection is naive.

I just used my Chirtmas bonus to purchase an IWI baby eagle in .40 s&w -- sweet piece!

[docpeter1953]

A drug addicted cop, using his dept. issued firearm in a crime(s).

Thats basically why I carry:0)



Posted by RosieOdMinge at 12:21 PM : Dec 24, 2008
___________________

The firearm wasn''t issued to him by the TX DPS or the Dallas, TX PD. If he was using a Dept. issued firearm it was issued by Utah DPS. the guy was in the DFW area working for IBM. He didn''t work for TX law enforcement, only Utah.

[mydiatribe]

This story would seem to confirm something I have long suspected from many years of driving tractor trailer and that is this: that State Police responsible for highway safety hate drivers of Big Rigs! OY VEY!

[rosieodminge]

A drug addicted cop, using his dept. issued firearm in a crime(s).

Thats basically why I carry:0)