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Forty-one years ago, Dallas police officer Darrell Cain was charged with murder for killing 12-year-old Santos Rodriquez as he sat in the back of a squad car. Though there have been scores of police shootings since, that was the last time a Dallas cop was indicted for shooting a suspect — until this week.
Fox 4, The Dallas Morning News, and WFAA are all reporting that a grand jury decided Thursday to charge former officer Amy Wilburn with aggravated assault for shooting an unarmed teenager in Pleasant Grove in December.
See also: Kelvion Walker, the Man Shot Monday by Dallas Police, Had His Hands in the Air, Witness Says
Kelvion Walker, 19, was in the passenger seat of a vehicle driven by a carjacking suspect. After the driver bailed out, Wilburn rushed to the stop the still-rolling car, not realizing Walker was in the passenger seat. When she saw him, she pulled gun and fired, sending Walker to the hospital. Witnesses reported that Walker had his hands in the air.
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Here’s dash-cam video of the incident, released by DPD in January:
Dallas Police Chief David Brown fired Wilburn shortly after the shooting, two months after terminating officer Carden Spencer for shooting a mentally ill Rylie man. Dallas Police Association President Ron Pinkston criticized the firings, saying they jeopardized public safety by making cops in emergency situations second-guess when they’re allowed to use deadly force.
See also: Cardan Spencer, Dallas Officer Who Shot Mentally Ill Man, Fired and May Face Charges
According to the Morning News, Spencer’s case is scheduled to go before a grand jury on Tuesday.
Send your story tips to the author, Eric Nicholson.
