DALLAS — A shoplifting suspect fired shots at a Dallas police helicopter and forced a shutdown of Interstate 30 while officers tried to arrest him early Saturday, police said.
The 43-year-old man, whose name hasn't been released yet, eventually surrendered to police about 3:30 a.m. in the 2500 block of Sea Harbor Road.
The incident began about three hours earlier when police responded to a robbery call in the 5300 block of Bernal Drive, near Singleton Boulevard in west Dallas.
Police said the man was shoplifting when a security guard approached him. The man pointed a gun at the guard and left the store on foot, according to police.
When Dallas police arrived, the man pointed a gun at his head and kept walking, police said.
Officers requested backup, including the police department's Air1 helicopter. Air1 arrived and the man pointed his gun at the helicopter and fired multiple shots at it, police said. None of the shots struck the helicopter.
Police then had to request SWAT officers and shut down the westbound lanes of I-30 at Walton Walker. Police found the man in the 2500 block of Sea Harbor Road, an industrial area off I-30 and Walton Walker.
The man surrendered without incident about 3:30 a.m., police said. He faces charges of aggravated robbery and assault on a public servant/attempted destruction of aircraft.
