Christian Taylor, a sophomore on the Angelo State football team, was killed in a police shooting early Friday morning after Taylor crashed a vehicle through the front window of a car dealership in Arlington, Texas.
Arlington police were responding to a burglary call at Classic Buick GMC, where a struggle with Taylor ensued that resulted in a shooting by officer Brad Miller, according to The Associated Press. According to Arlington Police Sgt. Paul Rodriguez, Taylor was unarmed. Security video recorded at the dealership did not capture the shooting, but according to Rodriguez, it did capture Taylor engaged in criminal activity in driving through the dealership's metal gate, then exiting his SUV and damaging a parked vehicle before driving through the front window. The car dealership released the video over the weekend, which shows some of Taylor's actions before police arrived, followed by the arrival of police officers and, finally, an ambulance:
"The officers went and confronted him. There was an altercation. An officer discharged his weapon and struck the suspect," Rodriguez told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson said the FBI has been invited to assist in the case. According to Johnson, Miller fired four shots, and another officer discharged a taser, but it is unclear which officer fired first.
Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:47 a.m. A police department statement indicated Miller would be placed on administrative leave during independent criminal and administrative investigations, which is a routine action in deadly-force cases. The security company released a report Saturday indicating that Taylor did not leave the property after alarms had sounded, NBC News reported. Darren Lancaster, the general manager of the dealership, said Taylor was told by the security company to leave the premises, and that police had been called.
"If this was not justified or authorized under the law, there will be consequences," Johnson said.
Taylor was a defensive back on the Angelo State football team who was entering his second season in the program. The Division II Rams compete in the Lone Star Athletic Conference. Taylor graduated from Summit High School in Mansfield, Texas.
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