Fort Worth police release video, 911 audio after officers shoot, kill man
The man shot and killed by Fort Worth police after opening fire at them around 12:40 a.m. Wednesday walked behind the counter of a convenience store with a gun and told the clerk to call 911, according to an audio recording released by police.
Police on Friday also released surveillance video of the events leading up to the fatal shooting.
The man was identified as 31-year-old Joe Don Williams, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. He was pronounced dead at 1:34 a.m. Wednesday at John Peter Smith Hospital from multiple gunshot wounds.
Police said Williams opened fire at officers when they arrived at the scene near a QuikTrip at 2501 NE 28th St. in north Fort Worth.
Several 911 callers reported that a man was walking in and out of the store with a handgun in his hand.
Officers arrived at the store within minutes and Williams walked out of the store with a handgun and fired, Fort Worth police said.
Police returned fire, striking Williams, police said. Officers started performing life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived.
In the 911 audio released by police, the caller — an employee of the store — tells an emergency dispatcher that she is terrified and that the man is armed but isn’t trying to rob the store. She tells the operator that she doesn’t know why he’s there and that he didn’t say he was going to shoot at officers, but she asks what they would do if he shot at them.
The dispatcher tells the caller that officers are close by and trained to handle situations in which they are fired upon, according to the released audio.
Assistant Police Chief Robert Alldredge said in a video released along with footage of the shooting and the 911 audio that officers were told when they arrived the man was still inside the store. They deployed a ballistics shield and approached the side door to the building and tried to enter, but Williams fired two shots at them from behind the counter, according to Alldredge. Officers retreated.
Williams then walked out of the building through the front door, firing at police and cars in the the area, according to Alldredge. The video shows Williams walking out of the store, firing a handgun.
Officers returned fire, according to Alldredge. Williams was hit and fell to the ground and officers moved to him and performed first-aid measures in an attempt to save his life.
“Multiple officers responded quickly to the scene and did not hesitate to protect innocent lives,” Alldredge said.
Alldredge said an investigation is ongoing and the case will be turned over to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible presentation to a grand jury, per department protocol.
This story was originally published November 18, 2022 at 10:01 PM.