DESOTO, Texas — An investigation is underway after a DeSoto police officer fatally shot a 47-year-old man who was accused of burglary at a home on Monday morning, officials said.
Police said they responded around 11:38 a.m. to the 300 block of Polk Street after a resident reported a burglary at their home. The resident also reported that the man was armed with "an unknown item," according to police.
Police said an officer located the man outside of the home and that the man "advanced toward the officer."
DeSoto Police Chief Joe Costa told WFAA Wednesday that the item was a "sharp object," but would not elaborate further on the weapon.
Grand Prairie police, who were asked to handle the investigation, said the man had a "homemade edged weapon, similar to a knife."
The man allegedly lunged at an officer during the incident, Grand Prairie police said. The officer fired at the man, killing him, according to police.
Costa also said the officer's body camera footage would eventually become public and that there was no apparent connection between the man and the person whose home he was accused of entering.
The man was later identified as Michael Christopher Nunez, a teacher at Moisés E. Molina High School in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, according to Dallas ISD. Nunez's best friend, Jeremy Haas, shared a photo Nunez with WFAA. They have been friends since 1994 when they met at UT-Austin.
The 47-year-old taught special education, according to the district.
Nunez had taught since 2003 and left in 2020 but returned to the district in August 2022.
The district said Nunez did not teach a full class but rather worked with individual students and said those students have already been reassigned to new teachers.
The officer was placed on administrative leave, per department policy, police said.