Dallas man accused of shooting at ATF agent who stopped to help him, officials say
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A Dallas man faces federal charges after he was accused of shooting at a Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives agent who stopped to help him, authorities said.
Michael Fagan, 30, was charged on April 19 with assaulting or impeding a federal officer. He made his first appearance in federal court on Friday, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
An ATF agent noticed a sport utility vehicle run a red light near the entrance to the Dallas Arboretum the evening of Apr. 6, according to the release. A few blocks later the agent saw the SUV driver, later identified as Fagan, yelling and waving his arms.
The agent thought the driver might need help and rolled down his window to ask. Fagan opened his door and started yelling incoherently at the agent, according to the release. When the agent told Fagan to get back in his vehicle, Fagan pulled out a semiautomatic pistol and allegedly fired it twice, federal authorities said.
The agent was not hit, according to the release, and fired three shots in return. Fagan fell back into his vehicle and left the scene. He met up with his girlfriend, who called 911 to say Fagan had been shot and took him to a hospital, according to the release.
Fagan told law enforcement officers that he had been drinking prior to the incident and that the driver of a Chevrolet had been tailgating him and fired at him. Fagan said he only fired one round in the air in response.
No cars resembling the Chevrolet described by Fagan were seen in surveillance footage of the area, the release said, and officers found five casings at the scene. Three of the casings appeared to be from the agent’s weapon.
Fagan could face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted, officials said.
The Dallas Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the incident, according to the release.
This story was originally published April 25, 2023 at 2:31 PM.
