The officer who killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards as he sat in the passenger seat of a car over the weekend has been fired.
Following an internal investigation conducted by the Balch Springs Police Department, officer Roy Oliver's badge was taken and he was laid off of the force, it was announced on Tuesday, May 2. Oliver, who had been on the force since 2011, has been identified as the officer who fired on a vehicle carrying Edwards, and four other teens including two of Edwards' brothers, as they were driving off from a house party. The department's investigation required that they review footage from Oliver's body camera, and assess accounts given by two other officers on the scene. Details on exactly what breach of policy lead to his firing have not yet been made public.
“You have my assurances that my department will continue to be responsive, transparent and accountable,” Balch Springs Police Chief Jonathan Haber said at a news conference held to update the public on the case.
Reports on the incident detail police arriving to a house on the 12300 block of Baron Drive, in response to a call about unsupervised teens and under-aged drinking. Shortly after entering the premises the officers report having heard gunshots, prompting them to run outside, where a car was seen peeling off. Oliver initially claimed that the vehicle had aggressively backed up towards the officers, but he would later recant that story. He had also reported hearing vulgarities being shouted from the passenger's seat. In the heat of the moment, Oliver would fire through the car's window, striking Edwards in the head.
An investigation remains underway by the sheriff's department, the district attorney's office, and two Dallas County agencies. Meanwhile, Oliver has 10 days to appeal Balch Springs' decision to fire him. It remains to be seen whether any of the shooting's investigations will lead to his arrest.
Source: newser.com
