ARLINGTON, Texas — Arlington police fatally shot a suspect they say brandished a knife and moved toward officers who were responding to a call about a possible stabbing at an apartment complex Thursday, the department confirmed.
Arlington Police Lt. Courtney White said police responded at 4:41 p.m. to the apartment complex in the 2700 block of Lawrence Road.
"As officers approached the apartment in question, they could see an adult male looking out of a window. Officers immediately set up a perimeter, and then began making commands for the subject to come outside," White said. "The man exited the apartment with a knife in hand. Officers began to give commands for the male to drop the weapon. The male did not comply with those instructions."
White said the man, later identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office as Michael Bassey, 29, charged at officers at one point, and an officer shot at the suspect, who fell to the ground.
We heard a loud sound, it sounded like a gunshot so immediately all 3 of us went to the window, and we just saw him running," said Ann Thomas, a neighbor who witnessed the incident. "He had a knife and kept running. It looked like a large kitchen knife."
The suspect got up and ran, and officers began a foot pursuit, she said.
"During the foot pursuit, they approached an embankment where the male turned around and raised a knife at officers and began moving toward them," White said. "During this point, the same officer who fired their service weapon the first time fired the second time at the male."
The suspect ran to a field on N. Collins; officers chased the suspect, and an officer stunned the suspect with a Taser, police say.
After the suspect was immobilized, officers noticed the suspect had a gunshot wound and began life-saving measures until paramedics arrived, White said.
The suspect was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police say. No officers were injured.
Police say they checked the apartment but didn't find anyone inside.
Officers involved in the incident were placed on administrative leave, according to police. The suspect and officers weren't identified.
"Throughout the encounter, we do believe additional officers may have deployed less-lethal options," White said. "It's just an unfortunate incident that the male did not comply with officer's instructions, had he done so, I believe this would have been a different outcome."
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office will identify the man once next of kin have been notified.
This is a developing story. WFAA will update this story as additional information becomes available.
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