Officer Reynaldo Contreras arrived at Patrick Warren’s home on January 10, after Warren’s family asked for psychiatric help.
In the video, Contreras can be seen entering the house after someone tells him to “enter”. Contreras leaves quickly after Warren starts screaming and advancing on him.
Warren can be seen outside a residence advancing towards the policeman in the front yard and ignoring verbal commands for him to lie down. After the officer steps back and continues to issue warnings, such as “You are going to take a taser”, he uses his taser.
Warren initially falls, but then gets up and continues to push towards the officer. Contreras uses the taser again, but Warren continues to advance and Contreras uses his firearm.
Warren, 52, was taken to a hospital and succumbed to his injuries.
The family lawyer calls this ‘one of the worst police shootings I’ve ever seen’
Merritt did not return calls from CNN Thursday and Friday after the footage was released.
Contreras, a five-year veteran in the department, is on administrative leave, according to the Killeen Police Department. An investigation is underway by the Texas Rangers, according to the Texas Department of Public Security.
Bell County District Attorney Henry Garza referred all investigations to the Texas Rangers.
Police chief Charles Kimble said this week that Contreras did everything he could to use non-lethal force against Warren before using his firearm.
“I don’t see where he could have done anything else. I saw a policeman trying to answer a call, cancel the climb,” Kimble told reporters on Tuesday.
“Given the same circumstances, I just don’t know what else we could do,” he added.
Kimble said Contreras had more than the mandatory minimum of training, but said the police department was looking for ways to better respond to psychiatric calls.
On Saturday, January 9, the day before the shooting, the county sent a mental health officer to Warren’s home. Merritt previously told CNN that the meeting with the county deputy went well. Warren went voluntarily with that deputy to the hospital that night, but refused to remain in the hospital for further treatment.
When the family ordered another mental health check the next day, a police officer was sent. According to Merritt, the family wanted a mental health officer again, instead of a police officer.
Asked why a police officer was posted on Sunday, Kimble said the attendant raised concerns about what he heard on the family call.
“It was a call to a psychiatric person,” said Kimble. “But as the attendant was listening to the interlocutor, if certain things are said or heard, it generates a different response … This generated a response from the police and a response from the firefighters and doctors who were on hold.”
CNN has contacted the Killeen Police Officer Association for comment, but has not yet received a response.