ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – An unarmed college football player tried to smash through a locked glass door in a North Texas car dealership showroom to escape an officer in training but then began advancing toward the officer before he was fatally shot, according to the Arlington police chief.
Called to the scene of a suspected burglary last week, Arlington officer Brad Miller pursued 19-year-old Christian Taylor into the showroom without telling his supervising officer, Police Chief Will Johnson said as he described their encounter for the first time Tuesday. Before police announced Tuesday that Miller had been fired, they had declined to describe the 49-year-old officer’s interactions with Taylor in detail.
Inside the showroom, Miller ordered Taylor to get to the ground, Johnson said. Instead, Taylor cursed at the officer and advanced toward him. When Taylor was about 10 feet away, the officer fired, according to Johnson.
Taylor continued moving, so Miller’s training officer, Cpl. Dale Wiggins, shot Taylor with a Taser.
Miller then fired three more times. At least two bullets struck Taylor, killing him, according to the chief, who said the interaction early Friday morning lasted only seconds. Taylor and Miller never made physical contact, he said.