Man fatally shot by Grapevine officer is identified

The man shot twice by a Grapevine police officer during a traffic stop Friday evening has been identified by the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office as Ruben Villalpando, 31, of North Richland Hills.

The incident occurred at 6:30 p.m. at the 2500 block of Texas 121 southbound near the Cheek-Sparger exit just inside Euless.

According to a Euless police news release, the man’s vehicle “fled a scene where officers were responding to a possible burglary in progress.” Once the man pulled over, “an altercation occurred between the officer and the suspect.”

Grapevine police Sgt. Robert Eberling said the man was shot twice in the upper chest after he stepped out of the vehicle.

Eberling said the man was flown to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, where he died just after midnight.

The police officer was not injured.

Eberling added that the officer will be placed on administrative leave while Grapevine and Euless police investigate.

Staff writer Dustin L. Dangli contributed to this report.

This story was originally published February 21, 2015 at 9:34 AM with the headline "Man fatally shot by Grapevine officer is identified."