Dallas police release bodycam video after officer shoots man who punched him during traffic stop

Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux on Tuesday addressed a weekend traffic stop that ended with an officer shooting a passenger, as the department released body‑camera and dashboard‑camera footage of the encounter.  

Around 2:16 a.m. Sunday, an officer pulled over a vehicle on Mockingbird Lane near Preston Road for driving without its lights on. Police said a passenger got out and punched the officer, prompting the officer to fire twice and hit the man.

Both the officer and the man were taken to a hospital. By Monday, police said they were in stable condition and the officer's injuries were not life‑threatening.

"This is unacceptable," chief says

Comeaux opened Tuesday's briefing by noting the incident was the eighth officer‑involved shooting involving a Dallas police officer so far in 2026.

"Let me be clear: This is unacceptable," Comeaux said. "This type of behavior from individuals being pulled over on traffic stops is unacceptable and, frankly, unbelievable."

"Our officer was violently attacked," he continued. "He was punched in the face and suffered three broken facial bones and a broken nose. He needed stitches above his eye - both internal and external - because of the injuries from this incident."

After Comeaux's remarks, Deputy Chief William Griffith took the podium to outline the events of that night and show the video.

What the video shows

The dashboard‑camera video shows Officer Rosebud getting out of his patrol car and approaching a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which police said had been driving without headlights. The passenger, identified Tuesday as 27‑year‑old Jeremy Mays, is seen exiting the vehicle, walking behind it, and then approaching the officer. A brief exchange is heard, and the second officer in the patrol car is heard getting out. The confrontation between Mays and the first officer appears on the far left of the screen.

Body‑camera video shows Mays approaching Rosebud with his hands open and raised, saying, "I don't have any weapons," and telling the officer not to touch him. After the officer creates distance, Mays is seen punching him once, knocking him to the ground. The officer is then seen running away as gunshots are heard. He calls out that shots have been fired and that Mays is on the ground. The Grand Cherokee is no longer visible in the footage at that point.

Two additional body‑camera videos were shown. One, largely blurred, depicts officers rendering aid to Mays. Another shows an encounter with Mays minutes earlier. 

A title card shared by Dallas police said that around 2:02 a.m. Sunday, Mays was seen walking on the shoulder of the North Central Expressway. Officers patted him down and, after telling him he could not walk on the shoulder, Mays is seen getting into the front passenger seat of the same Grand Cherokee from the dashboard‑camera footage.

Police also displayed three photos showing the extent of Rosebud's injuries, including visible blood above his left eye and on his face. A press release shared during the briefing said the driver of the Grand Cherokee was later identified and interviewed by investigators.

Comeaux noted after the videos and photos were shown that Mays was wearing a ring when he punched the officer.

"The picture speaks a million words. You see what the officer was dealing with," Comeaux said.

Next steps being taken

A Dallas police press release said the department's Special Investigations Unit is handling the case and investigating all officer‑involved shootings. The Dallas County District Attorney's Office will also conduct an independent investigation, and the department said the Office of Community Police Oversight responded to the scene and was briefed.

Toward the end of the briefing, Comeaux again said what happened to the officer was unacceptable.

"We do our best to take care of everyone in Dallas. We want to keep everyone safe, we're trying to do our job," Comeaux said. "But an officer being treated like this should not happen."

Comeaux also said alcohol played a role in the incident, saying Mays was "clearly intoxicated."  

Mays has been charged with aggravated assault of a public servant and is still in the hospital.    

Rosebud was released from the hospital and is recovering at home on administrative leave, which is standard procedure.