Man murders sister, shoots 2 Parker County officers before killing himself, police say
A man suspected of shooting two law enforcement officers in Parker County Thursday night holed up for several hours inside a house where he fatally shot his younger sister, started a fire and shot himself, authorities said.
The bodies of the suspect and his 17-year-old sister were found near the burned home, authorities confirmed during a news conference.
The assailant, Lain Christian, 26 shot dead his sister, Cierra Christian, authorities said.
Lain Christian’s mother escaped the home through a window.
Officers from multiple departments, including the Fort Worth police SWAT team, were in an hourslong standoff early Friday with Lain Christian at the home in the 800 block of Harris Road in Reno. Both officers were released from hospitals after being treated.
Flames could be seen rising from the house about 12:45 a.m. Friday. As of about 1:30 a.m., firefighters had extinguished the blaze and officers were waiting to enter and search the home. Earlier in the night, an officer could be heard trying to communicate with the suspect over a loudspeaker.
The two law enforcement officers were shot Thursday night while responding to a domestic disturbance between Lain Christian and his mother and sister, authorities said.
A Reno police officer was shot in the arm and was treated at a hospital in Azle, Reno Police Chief Tony Simmons said. A bullet hit a tourniquet holder on another Reno officer’s duty belt, which stopped the round from hitting the officer, police said.
A Parker County Sheriff’s Office deputy was shot multiple times and flown to a Fort Worth hospital, according to the sheriff’s office. The deputy was in surgery early Friday, Simmons told the Star-Telegram.
Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said the deputy, employed at the department for six years, was released from the hospital.
“We are grateful our deputy is doing well,” Fowler said. “He is currently recuperating at home. We expect him to make a full recovery and we anticipate his return to our team.”
He offered his thanks for the community’s support and prayers for the deputy. The names of the injured officers were not released.
Simmons said several Reno and Springtown police officers and the Parker County sheriff’s deputy responded to the disturbance call about 6 p.m. Thursday.
The caller said her son had a gun and “was threatening to kill people,” according to a statement from Reno police. When law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, they were immediately fired upon, authorities said.
The suspect’s mother escaped through a window and was treated at a hospital for cuts on her legs, Simmons said.
The scene was near North Cardinal and Miller roads, west of Eagle Mountain Lake.
Authorities were investigating Lain Christian’s motive. He used an assault-style weapon in the shooting, police said.
The Texas Rangers were leading the investigation, after they responded to the home along with the FBI and ATF on Thursday night.
The Rangers said in a statement on Friday morning, “The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is currently available.”
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 10:56 PM.
