By TANYA EISERER
The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Tex. - A Dallas police officer shot and killed a theft suspect late Thursday in Pleasant Grove because he thought the man was reaching in his pants pocket for a weapon, authorities say.
No weapon was recovered from the man, identified as 20-year-old Brandon Washington. Police now believe he may have been reaching for a cellphone. One witness told police that he believed that the man had a weapon in his pocket.
Officer Martin Rivera, who shot the man, was put on routine paid leave. He is a four-year police veteran.
“The use of deadly force by officers is one of the most scrutinized things in our department,” said Assistant Chief Ron Waldrop, commander of the criminal investigations bureau.
“We’re concerned about every use of deadly force, and we want to make sure that the use of force was appropriate.”
Chief Waldrop said there is no evidence so far to suggest that the officer acted inappropriately.
The incident began before 10 p.m. at a convenience store at Jim Miller and Lake June roads.
Employees told police that the suspect was eating a stolen candy bar as he left the store.
One employee later told police that the man appeared to be on drugs.
“He had his hand in his pocket with a large bulge,” said Sgt. Gary Kirkpatrick, who supervises a unit that investigates officer-involved shooting incidents and deaths.
A witness “believed that he had a gun and felt like that he was fixing to be robbed, but he did not get robbed,” Sgt. Kirkpatrick said.
Minutes later, Mr. Washington tried to come back into the store, authorities say.
“They told him they didn’t want him in there,” Sgt. Kirkpatrick said. “He started cussing and acting belligerent.”
Officers later found the suspect walking about a block from the store. They told him to stop, but the man kept walking and kept his right hand in his pocket, Sgt. Kirkpatrick said.
Officers told him to pull his hands out, and initially he wouldn’t, police said. During the tense confrontation, Mr. Washington pulled his left hand out of his pocket, but his right hand remained in his other pocket, police said.
“He was grasping for something that the officer thought was a gun,” so Officer Rivera shot him, Sgt. Kirkpatrick said.
Officer Rivera fired four times, striking the man in the right leg and in the head. Mr. Washington died later at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
A witness who earlier had been asked for change by the suspect saw the shooting. Another officer was in a squad car but did not have a good view of what the shooting, Sgt. Kirkpatrick said.
Records show that Officer Rivera has been disciplined for violating the Police Department’s sick leave policy, failing to search a prisoner and missing court.
Since 2004, Mr. Washington had repeatedly been convicted of criminal trespass and failure to identify himself in Dallas County.
Copyright 2007 Dallas Morning News