Haltom City officers injured in weekend shooting released from hospital
Two Haltom City police officers who were injured in a fatal shooting over Fourth of July weekend left Medical City North Hills in North Richland Hills on Friday.
Video footage from WFAA-TV reporter Scoop Jefferson showed Officer Jose Avila and Cpl. Zach Tabler, who were lying on gurneys, receive a round of applause from dozens of fellow first responders as they were pushed into MedStar ambulances. One of the officers waved to the crowd with a small smile. Officer Tim Barton, who was previously released from the hospital, was in a wheelchair.
Tabler was shot in his right arm, finger and leg. Avila was hit in his legs. Both underwent surgery on Sunday. Barton was shot in his upper thigh.
Avila and Tabler were being transferred to a rehab center, according to the police department.
The department was holding a fundraiser for the officers Friday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Cowtown Brewing, 1301 E. Belknap St. The fundraiser will raise money donated by attendees and from some of the proceeds from sales at the brewery.
The three officers were injured Saturday evening after they responded to a call of shots fired in the 5700 block of Diamond Oaks Drive North.
The gunman, later identified as 28-year-old Edward Freyman, also killed two people at a home before taking his own life Saturday night in Haltom City, authorities said.
The police department said Freyman knew the victims he killed, but the details of their relationship and the motive for the shooting are under investigation. Neighbors say Freyman had been dating and living with one of the victims, Amber Tsai.
This story was originally published July 8, 2022 at 1:19 PM.
