In a case amazingly similar to the Michael Brown case, a Dallas police officer shot and killed an unarmed man after he apparently charged the officer.
The incident happened on August 10, and so far the community hasn’t risen up to protest.
A little after 6 p.m. that Sunday evening, officer Antonio Hudson, who has an off-duty job on neighborhood patrol, responded to a 911 dispatch about a man “walking up and down the street making lewd comments to females,” according to a police statement.
The officer drove to the location and found 26 year old Andrew Scott Gaynier, a white male with a rap sheet dating back to 2005, fitting dispatch’s description.
According to police, Hudson saw Gaynier try to get into a moving vehicle with a family inside. “The officer made contact with the suspect out of concern for the safety of the family,” police said. “The officer gave loud verbal commands, but the suspect refused to comply.”
WFAA reports, using an unnamed source, that the man shouted “Shoot me!” twice, made a “war cry” and then “rushed” the officer. The same source told the station the officer shot the man four times, three times in the chest and once in the arm. Gaynier was pronounced dead at Methodist Hospital, according to police.
A neighbor’s home surveillance video recorded the incident, confirming that Gaynier rushed the officer after trying to get into the van.
Witnesses also told police they heard Hudson order Gaynier to “show his hands” prior to the shooting.
Hudson has been placed on administrative leave, per department policy.
The same questions and concerns regarding the use of deadly force to stop an unarmed man that we saw after the Michael Brown shooting, have arisen in the wake of this shooting.
The Gaynier family put out the following statement:
“The Gaynier family is shocked and heartbroken by this loss. Andy was unarmed and was shot multiple times by a police officer. This tragic situation is beyond comprehension. Andy was only 26 and the proud father of a 19-month-old son. At this point, we are waiting for the Dallas Police Department to conclude their investigation.”
But so far, no protests, riots, or looting have resulted from this unfortunate incident.
Image via Dallas News Crime Blog.
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