SB lanes of President George Bush Turnpike in Irving shut down due to officer-involved shooting
IRVING – All southbound lanes of President George Bush Turnpike at Los Colinas Blvd. in Irving are shut down due to an officer-involved shooting.
Irving Police Chief Derick Miller said around 6 a.m., Texas Highway Patrol officers were working a major accident on President George Bush Tollway just north of Highway 114, with assistance from the Irving Police Department for traffic control.
Irving PD set up a barricade at the Tollway and Hwy 635 where two officers were stationed for public safety. Just before 11 a.m., a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed burst through the barricade. The two officers stationed at the barricade gave chase.
The suspect led the officers on a chase until arriving at Las Colinas, where he could go no further due to traffic. He got out of his car with a knife in his hand and fled on foot on the grass shoulder. The officers got out of their car and asked the suspect to drop the knife.
The suspect continued traveling on the shoulder and an officer walked behind trying to get him to drop the knife. At some point, the suspect turned around moving toward the officer.
The officer tried to de-escalate the situation and was forced back into a vehicle on the right shoulder of the road.
The suspect would not listen to the officer's commands and all attempts to de-escalate failed. The officer discharged their weapon striking the suspect several times. Miller said more than one shot was fired.
The officer immediately rendered aid and called the Irving Fire Department, who arrived quickly, also rendered aid and took the suspect to Parkland Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Highway patrol is still working the accident near Hwy 114.
Simultaneous investigations by the Criminal Investigations Division, Internal Affairs, and the Dallas County District Attorney's Public Integrity Unit are underway.
The officer involved is a 15-year veteran with a "stellar background," Miller said, and is "extremely shaken up."
Miller said there is little information about the suspect currently, and IPD is working to figure out what caused him to burst through the barricade and why he wouldn't heed officers' advice to drop the knife.
"Working a major turnpike like this is extremely dangerous by itself," said Miller. "We have a history of police officers and construction workers being struck and killed because of high rates of speed ... which is why we take precautions."
Police say no officers or innocent bystanders were injured.
This story is developing.
