Off-duty Lake Worth officer involved in fatal fight with neighbor

A 53-year-old Azle man accused of attacking an off-duty Lake Worth assistant police chief died Friday evening during a fatal fight with the officer, authorities said.

Resident Catherine Miller told Fox 4 News the victim's mother said her son believed the 55-year-old officer was calling him stupid and simple.

Police identified the victim as John Wilson, who was pronounced dead at 7:25 p.m. Friday at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Azle. No ruling has been issued on a cause of his death.

Patrol officers were dispatched to an officer being assaulted in front of his yard shortly before 6:30 p.m. Friday in a neighborhood near Eagle Mountain Lake.

At the scene, police located Lake Worth Assistant Police Chief Steve Carpenter, who lives in the neighborhood. Carpenter told officers he had to defend himself when he was attacked by a man. The man was a neighbor.

Police saw a man lying on the ground and unresponsive. That man was later identified as Wilson, who also lived on the same street as Carpenter.

Wilson was taken to the Azle hospital, where he was pronounced dead in the emergency room.

Carpenter, who previously served as a captain with the Fort Worth Police Department, also was taken to the Azle hospital for injuries he suffered in the assault. Police did not release any details on the type of injuries he suffered.

Detectives went to the neighborhood and hospital to assist in the investigation.

"Because of the nature of the investigation, the Texas Rangers were also called and will take the investigatory lead," Azle police said in a news release.

Lake Worth Police Chief Corry Blount said Monday he was waiting for the Texas Rangers to complete their investigation before deciding on whether to take any disciplinary action against Carpenter.

"He's taking a few days off," Blount said Monday in a telephone interview.

Carpenter has not been charged in the case.

This story was originally published April 22, 2018 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Off-duty Lake Worth officer involved in fatal fight with neighbor."