Accident – death – Obituary News :

Mesquite Police to Release Bodycam Footage of Fatal Shooting

Mesquite, Texas – Mesquite police officials have announced their plans to release the bodycam footage from the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Payton Lawrence. The footage is scheduled to be released sometime on Thursday. The decision comes after demands from Lawrence’s family and community leaders for transparency in the investigation.

The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on December 14th when a 17-year department veteran, whose identity has not been disclosed, shot and killed Lawrence. The shooting took place at the intersection of Faithon P Lucas Sr. Boulevard and E. Cartwright Street in Mesquite.

The events leading up to the shooting began when an officer spotted a stolen vehicle at 3:03 a.m. The officer noticed that the stolen vehicle was being followed by another vehicle and decided to initiate a traffic stop at a 7-Eleven convenience store. Two individuals fled from the stolen vehicle, leading to an engagement with the second vehicle.

Mesquite police stated that shots were fired during the engagement, with the officer discharging his weapon multiple times into the second vehicle. Payton Lawrence, who was in the second vehicle, was struck by the gunfire and tragically died as a result.

The police department has stated that the officer fired three times at Lawrence when he refused to comply with commands to turn off the vehicle and cease movement. The release from the department further mentioned “furtive” movements inside the car during the interaction as another factor contributing to the officer’s decision to open fire.

It is worth noting that the department did not explicitly state that the officer’s life was threatened as a reason for the use of force. The release did mention the recovery of multiple firearms from Lawrence’s car, although it did not clarify whether those firearms were illegally obtained or possessed. In Texas, it is not a crime to have a gun in a vehicle.

Stephen Lawrence, Payton’s father, expressed his concerns during the Mesquite city council meeting on Monday, urging the police department to release all footage of the officer’s encounter with his son, as well as any additional footage that may shed light on the incident. He criticized the lack of concern displayed by city officials, stating, “When I look at you all up here, I don’t see concern. It’s just normal business for y’all, and that’s sad.”

In response to the demand for transparency, Mesquite police officials have decided to release the bodycam footage. However, they have not provided an exact time for the release and have opted for sharing the video through a link rather than holding a press conference.

Payton Lawrence’s family, loved ones, and community leaders have been protesting in front of city hall, seeking answers and urging for the prompt release of the video. They appreciate the mayor and the police chief’s response but remain determined to obtain the footage as soon as possible.

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