Police: Dallas officer mistakes apartment for own, kills man

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Police: Dallas officer mistakes apartment for own, kills man

1 hour ago

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas police say an officer returning home from work shot and killed a neighbor after she said she mistook his apartment for her own.

Police issued a news release Friday saying the shooting happened Thursday night. Police say the officer had arrived at her apartment complex in uniform after working a shift.

Authorities say the officer called dispatch to report the shooting. She told responding officers that she believed the victim’s apartment was her own when she entered it.

The man was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

The officer, who was not injured, will be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

https://apnews.com/5418f50edde448e79f16be75178bea6a/Police:-Dallas-officer-mistakes-apartment-for-own,-kills-man

[malaise]

1. Was she drunk or on drugs?

This makes no sense otherwise.

[mythology]

13. It could have been intentional

A domestic dispute.

But yes as is, the story is incredibly fishy. There's not a believable path where somebody changed her lock, moved all of her furniture etc. Hopefully this isn't just covered up.

[malaise]

16. I did wonder

[brush]

31. Something is definitely fishy. Why isn't she in jail? Mistake or not...

she killed a man. And I highly doubt her story. How do you walk into someone else's apartment without having the key?

It probably was a domestic dispute.

[uponit7771]

49. +1

[Adrahil]

14. More like drunk on power. NT

[brewens]

35. Even identical apartments, once occupied, hardly look alike at all. It would be really weird if

your neighbor had it furnished close enough to fool you even for a few seconds.

[Kittycow]

40. It seems to me it would even smell different.

[dalton99a]

2. 26-year-old victim:

https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/dallas-officer-walks-into-wrong-apartment-and-kills-man-police-say/1424933484

DALLAS, Texas (KXAN) — Dallas police officers are investigating after one of their own allegedly walked into an apartment she believed was hers and shot a man inside.

Police say around 9:59 p.m. Thursday, an officer who was off duty called dispatch and said she had been involved at a shooting at her apartment complex at 1210 S. Lamar St, which is about a block from the Dallas Police Department Headquarters. She had just come off a full shift and was still in her uniform when she walked into the wrong apartment.

"The officer reported to the responding officers that she entered the victim’s apartment believing that it was her own," Dallas police wrote in a release. "At some point, the officer fired her weapon striking the victim."

The victim, a 26-year-old man, was given aid before he was taken to the hospital, where he died.

The officer was not hurt, and she has been placed on administrative leave.

[awesomerwb1]

3. Goodness.

Someone get these officers some proper training.

This shoot 10 bullets first, get a good lawyer later has got to stop. I know, when pigs fly.

[sfwriter]

6. "when pigs fly."

[lpbk2713]

4. "But I felt my life was in danger."

Paid vacation while the incident is investigated by the good ole boys in Internal Affairs.

[dalton99a]

8. "WTF. What happened to my furniture? My TV? And all my pictures??"

BAM!

[lapfog_1]

5. Too bad there wasn't a good guy with a gun handy...

[unblock]

7. only once? i did this three times just last week!

doesn't everybody break into someone else's house, look around, see someone else's furniture, decor, and family photos and think, "yup, this is alllll mine", then when the real resident comes home, just shoot first and ask questions later?

[dalton99a]

11. Well, good thing she didn't get in bed with him

"What the fuck. It's MY BED!

..... BAM!!"

[Canoe52]

9. More guns would have prevented this.

[Historic NY]

10. Dallas you have an expensive problem,

[Demovictory9]

12. Omg. Huge mistake. Cataclysmic error

[NutmegYankee]

19. What mistake?

Please don't tell me you believe that ridiculous story. This cop belongs in jail.

[Demovictory9]

20. Are you thinking she shot him on purpose?

[NutmegYankee]

22. That or she was drunk and therefore not legally able to carry a firearm.

A normal person would immediately recognize they were in the wrong apt. The officers keys were found in the lock, which wouldn't turn, which was clue #1 that it was the wrong place.

And no, the occupant bears no responsibility for having an unlocked door.

[Crunchy Frog]

59. Just another day in American policing.

[unblock]

15. any bets on the outcome if she weren't a cop?

would anyone buy the argument that it was an accident?

accidentally breaking and entering into someone else's apartment and then shooting the owner?

would a jury buy that as reasonable doubt? if so, anyone can kill their neighbor this way, at least in apartments and maybe even in developments where all the houses look the some.

[Iggo]

18. Exactly.

[moriah]

32. In Arkansas, the shootings have usually been of the person *entering* the wrong home.

Drunk guy couldn't get in the front, confused his apartment from the outside with another but doesn't understand that's why his key won't work, climbs in window, owner freaks and shoots them.

I'm not sure how this will go.

After that drunk cop pulling a gun on the neighbors of an AirBNB, I've been afraid we'd see a shooting.

But this? What happened? Tired, comes home, leans against what he thinks is his door, realizes it's unlocked, believes there's been a robbery, opens and shoots the person before they assess the interior has different decorations?

I don't buy it.

[unblock]

36. even being a cop, she's probably toast if they can show a previous encounter

any argument she had with this neighbor in the last year would look really, really bad even if it was a genuine accident (which i don't really believe).

[Flaleftist]

53. And it's even worse that it was done by a cop and not a civilian.

They are supposed to have plenty of training, awareness of their surroundings, thinking before pulling the trigger. What made her think he was an immediate threat to her life? I have an extremely hard time believing this, especially if she was sober.

[Iggo]

17. If I told the cops I did that, and that was my story, they wouldn't believe me.

Because they're not stupid.

[dalton99a]

24. Bingo

[LonePirate]

21. She should be charged with first degree murder and trespassing.

[unblock]

37. trespassing? more like breaking and entering, imho.

[LonePirate]

48. Fine by me.

[Beaverhausen]

23. What. The. Actual. Fuck!

it's murder, not administrative leave.

And why shoot him? Did he point a gun at her?

[VMA131Marine]

30. It's absolutely murder

And a "civilian" who did this would be in custody and so charged. The officer was off duty and had no legal reason to enter her neighbours apartment. That she was still in uniform should be irrelevant.

[JCMach1]

25. My Spidey sense is tingling on this one

Color me suspicious...

[Turbineguy]

26. Shoot first

then look at the furniture.

[still_one]

27. Makes no sense at all. Why would the key fit in lock. Something isn't right

[Pachamama]

39. +1000

Makes no sense at all

[NutmegYankee]

41. In apt complexes the keys are the same brand, so they will slide in, but won't turn in wrong lock.

Apparently a local paper reports the key was still in the lock (may not have turned). The apt was on a different floor of the building from where the officer lived.

[Sneederbunk]

43. Perhaps door not locked.

[Quayblue]

54. She shot him when he opened the door

after hearing her there, from what I've read so far.

[rainbow4321]

71. They use key shaped FOBS.

Local activist interviewed a couple other residents, one of whom showed her on doors how the “keys” worked. They are not the standard insert/turn keys...
Door locks are electronic..insert the key shaped FOB, the lock turns green and door opens. If it is the wrong apartment door, lock stays red, doesn’t open.

So it looks like all the “keys” fit into all the door “locks”, it’s just if it is electronically programmed to open the door.

[dlk]

28. Wrongful Death & Unfit for Duty!

[sarah FAILIN]

29. A friend went in the wrong apartment many times

Not drunk, just absent minded and lost track of which stair level he was on. Thank goodness he wasn't a cop. The downstairs neighbor put a sign on the door after the 2nd time.

[moriah]

33. Dud he go in and make himself at home without realizing?

Or when he opened the apparently unlocked door, did he look at the person who gets to hear every time he has sex or walks if the direct downstairs neighbor with a "WTF?" look, and turn purple with embarrassment?

I had someone somehow given my hotel room key and assignment, but as soon as they realized someone was in it, immediately said the office must have made a mistake and left. I called the front desk freaking, and they confirmed they meant him next door but made a computer typo. Still, erk.

[flying_wahini]

34. That poor kid's family. Horrible.

[Pacifist Patriot]

38. The only time I walked into someone else's apartment thinking it was mine...

I was seven years old and living on an army base in Germany.

I've lived in plenty of places since then that looked equally similar if you weren't paying attention. Somehow always managed to find my front door without a problem.

[Downtown Hound]

42. I once got into a car that wasn't my own after picking up a pizza.

It was the exact same year, make, model, and color of mine, and the door just happened to be unlocked when I got inside. The difference between me and this cop? It took me about three or four seconds to realize the car wasn't mine, and I very quickly got out and went over to the correct car that was several spaces down, hoping nobody had seen me, not only because it was rather embarrassing but also because I didn't want to get shot.

I don't buy her story for a second.

[hunter]

56. I did this once, and my key worked!

It's been a common problem in cars.

https://www.truthorfiction.com/gm-keys/

My car was a Toyota. Back then the locks would wear out to the point any similar Toyota key would open them.

I realized it wasn't my car soon enough, but my first thought was that someone had stolen all my stuff.

[Demovictory9]

80. I have a popular model car that seems to come in one color

I often approach the wrong car..before I even touch it there are little triggers.."where did that dent come from", "it's cleaner/dirtier"

[donkeypoofed]

44. Just goes to show, keep your doors locked people !

Ya can't have anybody, even a police officer, just walking into your apartment !

[oasis]

45. Mistake? The City of Dallas made a mistake by giving this guy a badge. nt

[Downtown Hound]

46. Girl.

It was a female cop.

[oasis]

50. Girl/woman? son of gun!

[obamanut2012]

47. And, how did she get in???

If it was unlocked, as a cop, wouldn't she call for backup if she thought it her apt? She certainly didn't unlock it.

And, everyone's apt is decorated differently, etc.

And, how the fuck do you not know which apt is yours?????? IMPOSSIBLE UNLESS YOU WERE DRUNK OR HIGH

Very fishy indeed. She murdered him.

[Horse with no Name]

51. He was also a black man

Just in case anyone was wondering.

[dalton99a]

52. Shooting victim is 26-year-old Botham Shem Jean who worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers

http://www.fox4news.com/news/dallas-officer-goes-home-to-wrong-apartment-kills-man-inside

According to Jean's Facebook page, he was a native of Saint Lucia who graduated from Harding University in Arkansas. He worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, a multinational audit and consulting firm with offices in Downtown Dallas.

"This is a terrible tragedy. Botham Jean was a member of the PwC family in our Dallas office and we are simply heartbroken to hear of his death," the company said in a statement.

Former classmates from Harding University told the ChristianChronicle.org that he was known for his deep faith and his beautiful singing voice.

Harding University President Bruce McLarty shared fond memories of him after learning of his death. The university said he frequently led worship and chapel services on campus.

[JonLP24]

67. PWC was one of George W Bush's biggest donors

Last edited Fri Sep 7, 2018, 11:19 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/09/us/2004-campaign-fund-raising-financial-firms-are-bush-s-biggest-donors-study.html

[csziggy]

55. For those who can't figure out how the cop got into the apartment

From the article linked in the OP:

Two women who live on the second floor near where the shooting happened said they heard a lot of noise late Thursday.

“It was, like, police talk: ‘Open up! Open up!’” 20-year-old Caitlin Simpson told The Dallas Morning News.

Yazmine Hernandez, 20, was studying with Simpson when they heard the commotion.

“We heard cops yelling, but otherwise had no idea what was going on,” Hernandez said.

So the other residents thought it was cops trying to get into the apartment. The legal resident, Mr. Jean, probably opened the door since he did not expect to be killed for acting in a lawful manner.

The apartment complex is fairly new so I expect the apartments to be correctly labeled. This makes me wonder if the cop was impaired in some way - which would be appalling since she was returning from work, possibly in uniform, and certainly carrying a gun.

[IluvPitties]

57. This is so horrible... no amount of justice will repair the damage done.

An innocent man has died because of irresponsibility, negligence... or only the Lord knows. Whatever it is, this cop needs to go to jail for a long time.

[malaise]

58. I just heard that the victim is from St Lucia

I feel it for his family.
I 'm betting relationship break-up here or ongoing feud.

[HipChick]

60. Yup...I think I know his family....God help them

to understand this...

[malaise]

62. I thought you might know the family

What a mess

[malaise]

63. The young man had a good job

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainment/entertainmenttv/exclusive-les-moonves-was-obsessed-with-ruining-janet-jackson’s-career-sources-say/ar-BBN0mIh?li=AAggNb9
<snip>

Harding University, a private university in Searcy, Arkansas, said Jean was a native of the Caribbean country St. Lucia and often led worship services at the school's campus. He graduated from the school in 2016. Since then, he's been working in risk assurance for accounting and consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers in Dallas, the school said.

FIRED PHILADELPHIA OFFICER ACCUSED OF HOMICIDE IN FATAL SHOOTING

Jean's mother, Allie, questioned how the deadly mix up occurred.

"Somebody has to be crazy not to realize that they walked into the wrong apartment," Allie Jean told NBC News. "He's a bachelor. Things are different inside."

[HipChick]

64. son of Allison Jean in St.Lucia...RIP

He was also the son of Allison Jean, the Caribbean nation’s former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations, according to the St. Lucia Times.

[malaise]

65. Oh My

His mother held the top administrative position in the Ministry? Someone is going to prison for this one. I can imagine her pain about now.

[Beaverhausen]

61. She is going to be charged with manslaughter. Article in the OP was just updated.

well, that's something.

[McCamy Taylor]

69. Why not premeditated murder? That is much more likely.

[Lee-Lee]

72. Unless you can prove it was preplanend you can't make that stick

[Takket]

78. A premeditated murder charge

Requires that the state prove the murder was premeditated. So they aren’t going to arrest and hold her on a charge they have no proof of at this time but could certainly do so later if they get done evidence that supports it. For now they do have evidence to support manslaughter and they have correctly moved to charge on that.

[ecstatic]

66. WTF?! ? And please lock your doors people

I don't care how safe you think your neighborhood is. I've had idiots try for minutes at a time to get into my place *with a key* before hopping their (drunk?) asses back into their cars and driving off. Also, I highly recommend a storm door with security features.

[JonLP24]

68. More details

It was unclear how the officer got into the wrong apartment, where residents said they can access their units with a regular key or through a keypad code.

Police didn't indicate that anyone else had witnessed the shooting, but two women who live on the second floor near where the shooting happened said they heard a lot of noise late Thursday.

"It was, like, police talk: 'Open up! Open up!'" 20-year-old Caitlin Simpson said.

Yazmine Hernandez, 20, was studying with Simpson when they heard the commotion.

"We heard cops yelling," she said, "but otherwise had no idea what was going on."

Other residents of the South Side Flats struggled to understand how the shooting happened.

"How can you make a mistake like that, getting into someone else's apartment?" said 80-year-old Raquel, who has lived in the complex for less than a year. "Don't they train police?"


http://www.fltimes.com/tns/national/dallas-cop-who-killed-man-in-apartment-she-thought-was/article_f89ee7c8-a4cc-5bd3-b96f-49dd818c6ef2.html

[milestogo]

70. I'm thinking that some police officers are in a frame of mind where they see danger everywhere.

I live in an apartment and the floors all look the same except for the numbers. If I went into an apt on the floor above mine (assuming it was unlocked) the first thing i would think is "this doesn't look like my stuff", followed by "where's my dog", followed by oops and hope I didn't freak out the person who lived there.

And if I still thought it was my apartment with a stranger inside I would shut the door and call the police - even if I was the police.

[Lee-Lee]

73. Gonna have to go with manslaughter here

Unless Texas law is significantly different than other states.

She probably somehow beloved she was in her apartment. But made significant errors somehow that led her to that mistaken belief.

Now if more comes out, like she forced her way into the apartment after being told it wasn’t hers or she was inhoxicated in some way I may alter that to a higher charge being warranted.

It says she was at the end of a shift. I’m curious if they don8 or 12 hour shifts. After years of doing 12 hours swing shifts and then going to a system where I basically made my own schedule and did 5-10 hours shifts depending on need I have long believed 12 hour shifts led to cops exhausted and barley able to function mentally at the end, especially swing shifts. You start a shift after already being up for 1-2 hours to prepare and get to work, you often leave the shift 1 or more hours late because you have to finish whatever call you are on, and on busy days sometimes you don’t get a break at all and barely can even fit in bathroom stops. Not saying that will excuse this one bit, it shouldn’t, but curious if it fits the pattern.

[rainbow4321]

74. Why the hell was she not taken into custody

Can’t help but thing if the shooter was some random person (civilian) that he/she would have been shuffled off to Lew Sterrett immediately with their mug shot/name released within hours (as opposed to the “we’ll tell you her name when we file charges” stance DPD is doing now).

The video on Instagram (filmed by another resident) shows the officer/shooter running down the hall with other officers and EMS workers with the victim being given CPR on the stretcher. She was given them directions on how to navigate the halls and get out of the building. Again..you think any of us would be allowed to do that?

Dallas PD is not helping matters locally...LOTS of people upset her name has not been released, more details are being released by the activists who are hanging out at the police department instead of by the police dept itself.

The area just got thru the anger/turmoil of the trial/sentencing of the Balch Springs officer who shot/killed a teen who was in a car driving away from that officer. He was sentenced to 15 years a couple weeks ago. Lots of anger that he only got 15 years.

It isn’t gonna take much to get tempers boiling again in Dallas.

[ck4829]

75. Kick

[Generic Brad]

76. She didn't notice her belongings were absent from the apartment?

What a crock of shit.

She was either seriously impaired or she was hunting the poor man.

[rainbow4321]

79. Officials are saying she never passed the apartment doorway

She tried unlocking the door, he most likely heard the door/lock rattling. When he opened the door, she pulled her gun and killed him. This next part is just my opinion but even if he looked thru a peephole he may have thought, oh, it’s a uniformed police officer..and thought he best open the door.

There are residents who heard her yelling “open the god damn door”.

My question is...did she live alone or with someone...cuz if she lived alone in HER apartment she wouldn’t have had anyone to yell at...which would mean she knew she was at a different apartment and there was someone there to yell for/at.

[mythology]

81. In a cnn.com article, the police are quoted saying she was in the apartment when she shot

"A female Dallas police officer returned to what she believed to be her apartment after her shift ended -- she was still in uniform when she encountered Mr. Jean inside the apartment," Hall said.
The chief said it isn't clear what "the interaction was between her and the victim. Then at some point she fired her weapon striking the victim."

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/07/us/dallas-police-shooting/index.html

[Harker]

77. A drunken neighbor mistook my father's townhouse

for his own one night. All painted dull, earthy tones by HOA rules. Broke his key off in front door lock, got pissed off, then went around back to the sliding screen door of the bedroom. Thinking there were intruders in his home, he attacked my father and his wife. After being shot three times with a large calibre handgun, he wrested it away and holed my old man with the remaining three rounds.

Final score: Two men shot three times each (a head shot for both) and three lives screwed up. Amazingly, no fatalities.

I do hate guns.