Dallas police release footage of fatal shootout between officers and murder suspect
The Dallas Police Department released body-camera footage Friday in a press conference showing Wednesday’s shootout, when a suspect wanted for capital murder was killed after he shot a officer in the foot. Six officers returned fire at the 18-year-old, firing more than 50 rounds, police said.
The video opens with several gunshots being heard at 3:02 p.m. and a drone overlooking the scene.
Police are heard in the footage repeatedly yelling “put your hands up” at 3:01 p.m. after officers pulled over a car and the driver got out and was taken into custody. The driver has not been charged.
Another body-camera video was displayed in which the suspect, Joey Fraire, 18, is shown firing at police from the passenger side of the vehicle and police firing back. Moments later, police rush to help the officer wearing the body camera, who was shot in the foot.
A third clip of footage shows Fraire running from the car and falling onto the ground when police fired back.
The last video clip shows officers approach Fraire and provide aid.
The incident was the first Dallas officer-involved shooting of 2023.
At around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dallas fugitive unit officers were in the area of 2500 Wilbur Street on an unrelated investigation, Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said at the press conference.
While on Wilbur Street, Dallas officers received a wanted persons bulletin and learned Fraire, wanted for capital murder out of Farmers Branch, was on the same block.
At around 2 p.m., police found Fraire in the front passenger seat of a car driven by an unidentified man on Wilbur Street.
Fugitive unit members Joshua Gonzalez, Richard Whitt, Scott Neal, Victor Lucas, Aryn Hale and Elliott Howell followed the car for about an hour to allow additional resources to respond and to find a location to arrest Fraire, according to Garcia.
Officers followed the suspect to the 2500 block of Bahama Drive, where the Bahama Glen Apartments are located.
At around 2:55 p.m., officers attempted to take the suspect into custody in the parking lot and a drone was deployed At around 3 p.m., as part of a “high-risk apprehension,” fugitive unit officers gave repeated commands and deployed a flash bang, a distraction device, to try to get the driver and Fraire to exit the vehicle, according to Garcia.
The driver got out and was taken into custody.
The suspect refused to show his hands, get out of the car, or follow commands, police said. The fugitive unit shot pepper-ball rounds at 3:01 p.m. Fraire did not exit the car after those rounds were fired.
At 3:02 p.m., a sergeant monitoring video from the drone announced over the radio that Fraire had a gun in his right hand. A second flash bang was deployed, and Fraire was seen with his gun and fired at Dallas police at least twice.
The officers returned fire, hitting the suspect multiple times.
Fraire ran from the car and fell to the ground, dropping his weapon.
Dallas Fire-Rescue was called at 3:02 p.m. and at 3:07 p.m., first aid was administered by fugitive unit officers. DFR arrived at 3:18 p.m.
Fraire was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries at 3:43 p.m.
One fugitive unit officer was shot in his left foot. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and released.
Fraire’s gun was recovered at the scene and a second weapon was found by detectives near the driver’s seat. The second weapon was modified with a Glock switch.
The six officers who shot at Fraire are on administrative leave.
“Any loss of life is tragic as was a loss of life that led us to this event. Unfortunately the subject (Fraire) dictated this unfortunate outcome, but it’s also a tragedy for our officers who were involved that night. This is never our intended outcome, “ said Garcia in the press conference. “Our fugitive unit works day in and day out, taking our most violent offenders off the streets of Dallas. I commend their bravery that day standing steadfast in the face of danger, remaining in the fight as they were fired upon by a violent criminal. We are fortunate that an officer was not lost on that day.”
Fraire was one of five suspects in the Oct. 13 killing of Ramon Lemus Zapata during a home-invasion robbery in Farmers Branch, The Dallas Morning News reported.
The Dallas police Special Investigations Unit is investigating the shooting. The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office was notified and responded to the scene and will conduct its own investigation. The Office of Community Police Oversight was notified and responded to the scene.
This story was originally published January 27, 2023 at 3:07 PM.