Balch Springs Police Fire Roy Oliver
Balch Springs Police Department has fired Roy Oliver three days after he fired a rifle into a vehicle full of teen and fatally wounded 15-year-old Jordan Edwards.
The termination comes after evidence proved Oliver lied about the circumstance around the police-involved shooting.
Via Dallas News:
“From our policies, which I went by, there were violations. I acted on them,” Balch Springs Police Chief Jonathan Haber said Tuesday evening.
Officer Roy Oliver shot his rifle into a vehicle full of teenagers Saturday night as they were driving away from a party. Jordan Edwards was fatally struck in the head, with his brothers beside him in the vehicle.
After originally reporting the vehicle had been aggressively driving toward officers, Balch Springs’ police chief said video footage showed the teenagers were driving away when Oliver opened fire.
Although the department said its internal investigation had concluded, the chief refused to detail Oliver’s policy violations, citing the officer’s right to appeal his termination and ongoing inquiries by the Dallas Sheriff’s Department and the Dallas County district attorney’s public integrity unit.
“You have my assurances my department will continue to be responsive, transparent and accountable,” Haber said.
Attorney Cindy Stormer, a former prosecutor who is representing Oliver, asked the public to be patient while the six-year veteran of the department is investigated.
“We cannot make any comments at this time,” she said in a written statement. “The incident is recent and still being investigated. Everyone should wait until the facts come out and we know more.”
Sgt. Jon Craker of the Balch Springs Police Association declined to comment on Oliver, saying the chief had instructed officers not to speak publicly about the case.
Even before Oliver, who is white, was publicly identifed Tuesday, the killing of an unarmed black teenager had stirred allegations of prejudice familiar from other fatal police shootings nationwide.
Jordan’s relatives expressed gratitude that Oliver had been fired but said in a written statement, “There remains a long road ahead.” They want Oliver arrested on a murder charge, and they hope other officers involved in the case will be held accountable.
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