Posted 4:44 pm Monday, August 02, 2010
Tyler Officer To Be Suspended; Failed To Check Teen's Backpack With Gun Inside
By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer
A two-year veteran Tyler police officer will face time off without pay following an internal affairs investigation into a shooting at the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center.
Staff Writer
A two-year veteran Tyler police officer will face time off without pay following an internal affairs investigation into a shooting at the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center.
Tyler Police Chief Gary Swindle said Officer Jessica Doughten did not follow the department's general orders in searching or inventorying property of a person taken into custody.
The investigation showed Officer Doughten did check the Kansas City Mo., 16-year-old's person on July 24, but failed to check his suitcase and duffel bag when she took him into custody at the Tyler bus station following a call from the authorities in Kansas City.
The juvenile, despite family claims he was non-violent, was wanted on felony assault charges in which Swindle said the injured party suffered serious bodily injuries.
“He was traveling with a .357 six-shot revolver with an extra container of ammunition in his bag,” he said.
Swindle said when Officer Doughton put the youth in the patrol car, she put the bags in the back out of reach of the juvenile. When she took him into the Juvenile Attention Center, she placed the boy in an intake area and the two bags were placed behind the intake counter with the intake officer.
“It wasn't like the bags were next to him. They were put in a place behind a counter and he went around the counter, became involved in a struggle with the intake officer and grabbed the gun out of one of the bags and immediately began firing rounds,” he said.
Swindle said the intake officer was able to flee to a closet where he used a hand-held radio to call the center's command who then called for help.
Police arriving entered the building from two directions and found the juvenile had shot out glass in an effort to escape, and had cut himself severely as he attempted to unlock the doors keeping him inside.
Officers were able to talk the juvenile into surrender after he placed the gun under his chin and then to his head.
“I commend the officers for showing restraint in a situation where shots had been fired. Officers have been killed by guns and knives missed during searches in the past, and thankfully that was not the case here. Fortunately no one was injured,” he said.
Swindle pointed out he was not making excuses, and Officer Doughton's failure to check the bags was the reason for her being disciplined.
Just how long Doughton will be placed on unpaid leave is still being determined.
“Hopefully the officer will learn from this mistake,” he said.
The juvenile has been charged with aggravated assault on a public servant, possessing a deadly weapon in a penal institution, possession of marijuana in a penal institution, and pending failure to appear and felony assault charges in Kansas.
The juvenile, despite family claims he was non-violent, was wanted on felony assault charges in which Swindle said the injured party suffered serious bodily injuries.
“He was traveling with a .357 six-shot revolver with an extra container of ammunition in his bag,” he said.
Swindle said when Officer Doughton put the youth in the patrol car, she put the bags in the back out of reach of the juvenile. When she took him into the Juvenile Attention Center, she placed the boy in an intake area and the two bags were placed behind the intake counter with the intake officer.
“It wasn't like the bags were next to him. They were put in a place behind a counter and he went around the counter, became involved in a struggle with the intake officer and grabbed the gun out of one of the bags and immediately began firing rounds,” he said.
Swindle said the intake officer was able to flee to a closet where he used a hand-held radio to call the center's command who then called for help.
Police arriving entered the building from two directions and found the juvenile had shot out glass in an effort to escape, and had cut himself severely as he attempted to unlock the doors keeping him inside.
Officers were able to talk the juvenile into surrender after he placed the gun under his chin and then to his head.
“I commend the officers for showing restraint in a situation where shots had been fired. Officers have been killed by guns and knives missed during searches in the past, and thankfully that was not the case here. Fortunately no one was injured,” he said.
Swindle pointed out he was not making excuses, and Officer Doughton's failure to check the bags was the reason for her being disciplined.
Just how long Doughton will be placed on unpaid leave is still being determined.
“Hopefully the officer will learn from this mistake,” he said.
The juvenile has been charged with aggravated assault on a public servant, possessing a deadly weapon in a penal institution, possession of marijuana in a penal institution, and pending failure to appear and felony assault charges in Kansas.
