Video Offers Unique Perspective Of Arlington Crash/Shooting
ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - CBS 11 News has learned new information surrounding the deadly car crash and shooting in Arlington on Wednesday.
According to police, the two children who were in the alleged gunman's car are out of the hospital and now with their mother.
And, there's also video of the aftermath of the wreck, seen from a unique perspective.
Precinct 7 Deputy Constable Chris Salone was wearing his miniature body cam when he and fellow Deputy Mike Hargis arrived at the crash scene.
The images were of two people dead; one of them shot to death, and of the suspected gunman who was still in the demolished SUV with a child in the backseat.
"I didn't know if he was going to engage us or what at that time," said Salone. "I just wanted to make sure it was okay, make sure everything was covered. Make sure everything is on video in case something bad happens at this point."
Seen from Salone's perspective, he, Hargis, and other law enforcement agents have drawn their weapons and are moving in on the suspected gunman.
"We knew we had a shooter based on other officers saying we had shots fired," Deputy Constable Mike Hargis said of the situation. "We knew where the shooter was located. Everything else went away."
Deputy Salone said he approached the vehicle cautiously. "I was actually coming around the drivers side of the vehicle at the back door," he recalled. "I was able to hold one of his arms down. An Arlington officer reached inside and was able to place handcuffs on him."
The focus for Deputy Hargis moved to the soon discovered children in the SUV. "Myself and another officer were able to cut the seat belt and pull a child out of the backseat and take him to another location away from the scene," he said. "He [the child] was pretty distraught. He was screaming."
The video soon shows the little boy and his sister are okay. But 42-year old Najee Nasir is dead in his wrecked truck and 19-year old Clarence Robinson, who had run out to help the children, is dead from a gunshot wound to the head.
Despite being a professional law enforcement agent, Deputy Salone was saddened by the events of that day. "Those were innocent people who didn't have any reason to get caught up in all this. It just happened."
The SUV driver, 27-year-old Thomas Lester Harper, has been charged with homicide and intoxication manslaughter. Friday the Arlington Police Department said they did not find any alcohol in Harper's system, but they're still testing his blood for other drugs.
