On Sunday (January 10), a police officer in Killeen, Texas fatally shot Patrick Warren Sr. during a mental health check.
Video of the moments leading up to the fatal shooting was captured by a doorbell camera. Warren, who served as a pastor of a local church, was unarmed when the officer killed him.
According to a report by KCentTV, Warren’s family said they called the police to get a mental health professional’s assistance when they noticed a change in Warren’s behavior.
They said authorities told them a mental health deputy wasn’t available, and instead sent a police officer to respond.
National civil rights attorney Lee Merritt is working with Warren’s family to get justice.
“[Warren] was suffering a mental health crisis and simply needed help. Instead he was shot three times in his chest and tased,” Merritt wrote in a tweet. “We demand the immediate arrest of this officer.”
Warning: Graphic Video Content
In the video, the officer announced he was entering Warren’s home. Warren responded and asked the officer to leave, to which the officer complied.
The next clip of the video shows Warren exiting his home while waving his arms. The officer is heard on video demanding Warren get on the ground. Warren continues walking toward the officer. At this point in the video, Warren walks out of the camera’s view, but what sounds to be a taser can be heard.
Local police said the taser wasn’t effective, Warren got up and continued walking toward the officer. Someone from inside the home can be heard asking Warren to sit down and asking the officer not to shoot.
Three shots are heard on video, out of view of the camera’s lens. Merritt said the officer shot Warren once, turned his weapon on Warren’s wife while telling her to stand back, and shot Warren again.
Warren, 52, died later at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.
In addition to the officer’s termination, Merritt is calling for Bell County District Attorney Henry Garza to “be prepared to conduct an independent investigation and prosecution of this officer,” and called for all body cam footage to be released to the family.
Warren’s death marks yet another tragedy underlining the threat of police violence Black people face in America, especially when mental health help is being sought.
Texas Rangers, who are leading the investigation report the officer involved is on administrative leave, per standard procedure.
Photo: Getty Images