Off-duty Dallas officer thwarts Fort Worth robbery, opens fire at suspects

An off-duty Dallas police officer who stopped for food at a west Fort Worth Whataburger Sunday morning thwarted a holdup when he confronted two suspects in a parking lot, police said.

The Dallas officer fired his weapon at the suspects as they stepped into the Whataburger parking lot.

The suspects, who were wounded, fled, but they were captured a short time later, police said.

The Dallas off-duty officer, an 11-year veteran of that department, was not injured and there were no reports of any other person other than the suspects being wounded in the shooting.

Officers responded to a holdup call shortly after 4 a.m. at the Whataburger, 9501 White Settlement Road.

A man wearing a silver mask walked into the fast-food restaurant and pointed a gun at people inside the business, according to a preliminary police report.

Witnesses told police the suspect was wearing a black hooded jacket and gray sweatpants.

At about that time, the off-duty Dallas officer who authorities did not identify arrived at the fast-food restaurant and observed the robbery, police said.

The off-duty officer waited to confront the suspects outside the business.

The suspects fled after the shooting began, police said.

"One injured suspect was apprehended on the parking lot of the business," police spokesman Daniel Segura said in a Sunday email. "The second one fled to a nearby business open area where he was later found and apprehended."

Responding officers applied a tactical medical tourniquet to the injuries of the second suspect, Segura said.

Both suspects were taken to John Peter Smith Hospital, where one was in serious condition and the other suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

The names of the suspects had not been released.

The suspects are facing charges of aggravated robbery, police said.

Fort Worth police are investigating the criminal case in the incident, while Dallas police will conduct an administrative investigation into the shooting involving the officer.

This story was originally published July 8, 2018 at 9:28 AM with the headline "Off-duty Dallas officer thwarts Fort Worth robbery, opens fire at suspects."