ENNIS — The family of a man killed by Ennis officers has asked police to release dashcam video of the incident.
Thomas Rocha and Carlos Sauceda were walking to their cousin's house Sunday night when they saw police cars whip into the parking lot of a church in Ennis.
“They were all coming fast," Rocha said.
They said officers got out of their cars with their weapons drawn.
”The cop cars pulled up and they all had their guns pointed at the guy's car," Sauceda said.
Rocha and Sauceda said the driver, Moses King, tried to leave, hit two police cars and then stopped.
Ennis police issued a news release that said officers pulled King over for speeding. Authorities said the officers then told him to get out of his car because he was being arrested for traffic warrants. But they said he refused and instead rammed his car into two squad cars, nearly hitting officers. They then claim King “again attempted to drive his vehicle in the direction of officers putting them at risk of death or serious bodily injury.”
Officers fired at the vehicle, hitting King three times and died at the scene.
However, three witnesses told News 8 he wasn’t trying to run the officers over.
“No ma’am,'" Rocha said when asked if he thought officers had a reason to fire at King.
His family spoke exclusively to News 8.
His daughter, Kansas King, visited with him Sunday. She said he spent the day celebrating her birthday.
"He came here to give me these birthday cards," his daughter said.
His family said King was studying law enforcement and a Marine who proudly served his country.
“My daddy was a great man because he said, 'I fought for this country because I love you; and you are the child that I have and I will never...,'" his daughter said before coming to a halt as she broke into tears.
His family wants people to know King wasn't a violent man.
“The things they are saying about him, it doesn’t sound like him," said Ernestine King, his ex-wife.
His daughter clutched her father’s picture as family members demanded more answers and transparency from police. The King family wants police to release dashcamera videos.
According to sources in Ennis, King was a sovereign citizen who refused to take orders from anybody and refused to respond to officers’ commands.
The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.
The investigation has been turned over to the Texas Rangers.
