ARLINGTON, Texas — The Arlington Police Department released body camera video of officers shooting and killing a 23-year-old man who wanted police to kill him.
Arlington Police Chief Al Jones called the scenario one of the most challenging law enforcement can face.
The department said the bodycam video shows officers shoot a man, later identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office as Patricio Corban Gamboa, who told dispatchers he wanted officers to kill him.
The man initially texted 911 early Nov. 19, saying "I don’t want to hurt (the officer) but I can’t bring myself to pull the trigger on myself and I need to give him a reason to put me out.”
He later asked whether law enforcement's vests could protect an officer from a rifled shotgun slug.
“I know they don’t want to hurt me but I need to give them a reason to," he texted.
A police officer trained in crisis negotiation eventually contacted the man via phone. The officer repeatedly promised the man, "I can help you."
Still, the man walked into the street outside his home in the 2500 block of Fallcreek Street holding a shotgun, bodycam video shows. He did not comply with officer's demands to put the weapon down.
“I need you drop the rifle so that we can talk to you," the negotiating officer yelled. "Let us help you.”
That same officer called for other police with non-lethal weapons to move closer. Chief Jones said it would not have been appropriate for police to use less lethal force, however.
"If this gentleman is waking toward us with a shotgun, that’s not a time for us to use less lethal force," Jones said. "If he would’ve put his weapon down maybe that would’ve been another opportunity for us. But at this point, we were in the middle of a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, he just didn’t want to comply.”
Bodycam video shows the man raise his gun toward officers. Three different police shot the man.
Authorities immediately rendered aid, but doctors pronounced the man dead at the hospital.
Arlington police department's internal affairs division is now investigating, though Jones said he's initially determined the officers acted in accordance with their training.
All three police, whom the department did not identify, are on administrative duty. They will be allowed to return to work once administrators complete paperwork delayed by the Thanksgiving holiday.