On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at approximately 8:40 pm, Terrell Police Officers received an Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) notification indicating that a stolen vehicle was located within the Terrell city limits.
Officers located the vehicle, a 2015 Mazda 6, reported stolen out of Dallas, and attempted to stop it. The driver of the vehicle fled, leading officers on a pursuit that ended in the 300 block of E Alamo St.
During the pursuit, the driver entered the Terrell State Hospital grounds and rammed a secured gate to exit, continuing to evade officers. The driver then turned onto State Street, where he drove at a high rate of speed directly towards an unmarked unit occupied by two uniformed officers. An off-duty, uniformed officer in the passenger seat of the unmarked unit fired a single round at the suspect through the front windshield. The suspect vehicle veered, made contact with the police unit, and continued to flee. The officer's single round did not hit the suspect or the vehicle. No injuries or other property damage were reported.
At the request of the Terrell Police Department, the Texas Rangers responded to guide the investigation. The shooting remains under investigation, and the officer is on paid leave pending the outcome, as is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.
The driver, a 16-year-old juvenile from Terrell, was detained and transported to Terrell Police Department. The Kaufman County Juvenile Probation Office was contacted, and the juvenile was transported to Denton County Juvenile Detention to await arraignment on several charges, including Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle, Evading Arrest/Detention with a Vehicle, Accident Involving Damage to a Vehicle >=$200, and Criminal Mischief >=$2,500 <$30,000. An additional charge of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon may be added pending further investigation.
