Police News
Dallas Police Department fires officer who shot man in his apartment
Amber Guyger, the Dallas police officer who shot and killed a man in his apartment on September 6, has been fired.
According to a statement from the Dallas Police Department, Chief U. Reneé Hall terminated Guyger following a hearing held on September 24.
An Internal Affairs investigation concluded that Guyger "engaged in adverse conduct" when she was arrested for manslaughter.
On September 6, Guyger was involved in a shooting at her apartment building at 1210 S. Lamar Blvd. She told 911 that she entered another apartment, believing it was her own. Shortly after entering, she shot the resident, Botham Shem Jean, 26, who was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.
Guyger posted bond at the Kaufman County Jail three days later and gave a conflicting statement about what happened.
Chief Hall turned the investigation over to the Texas Rangers.
A number of protests have occurred in the interim, including a rally at the Dallas Police Department on September 10, and a protest at the Dallas City Council meeting on December 12.
The firing comes four days after Chief Hall issued a statement explaining why Guyger had not yet been fired.
On September 20, Hall said, "There is one overriding reason that I have not taken any administrative or employment action against Officer Amber Guyger. I don’t want to interfere with the ongoing criminal investigation into her actions."
Hall said that, "as an employer, DPD can compel Officer Guyger to provide a statement during a DPD administrative investigation and those statements given to DPD could potentially compromise the criminal investigation."
"That is not a risk I am willing to take. We cannot let the criminal case be determined on a 'technicality' rather than the facts. An exhaustive and thorough criminal investigation is essential, and as soon as we are assured that conducting an administrative investigation will not impede on the criminal investigation, we will proceed."
Guyger was hired in November 2013 and was assigned to the Southeast Patrol Division. Under civil service rules, she has the right to appeal her discipline.
