DALLAS — Kyle Dail was shot and killed late Thursday after officers investigated complaints about drug deals outside LBJ Food Mart in the 13000 block of Jupiter Road.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said an undercover officer saw the 30-year-old making multiple hand-to-hand drug sales. Garcia said the officer followed Dail who took off in a Nissan Versa.
The officer, Garcia said, saw a traffic violation and tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver didn't stop.
Later that night, Garcia said, Dail returned to the gas station, where an officer recognized him as the suspect who refused to stop for police.
Officers approached Dail from behind and attempted to arrest him.
Garcia said during that struggle, Dail pulled a handgun from his front pants pocket and raised it in the air in front of Officer Hoffman’s face.
Dail transitions the weapon from his right hand to his left hand, throws the weapon down another aisle in the business. A moment later, officer Hoffman fires his weapon.
Dail died the next day.
His sister, Kinesha Dail, said she doesn't believe her brother threatened anybody.
“He fell back like a paperweight,” she said. "Not only did you do one shot, you did three shots,” she said in tears, talking about officer Thomas Hoffman, who Garcia said fired the shots. “He couldn’t defend himself at all. Now i got four nieces and nephews that gotta grow up without their daddy."
Kinesha told WFAA she does not believe her brother tried to shoot anyone, but was just trying to get rid of the again.
“Not believe, I know,” Kinesha said. “He just didn’t want another gun charge. And that shouldn’t took his life.”
David Thomas, retired police officer and professor of Forensic Studies at Florida Gulf Coast university reviewed the video and told WFAA he believes the officer did the right thing.
Thomas said even though the officer fired after the gun was tossed, it happened just a quick moment after.
“It takes about two seconds for the brain to register that there is a change in the dynamic,” Thomas said. “So if I'm already engaged, and let's say I have my gun out, I'm focused on that gun, I can't stop that motor action. I'm already moving forward, I can't stop it until after in most instances that the shots had been fired, it takes two seconds to recover.”
Kinesha, though, isn’t buying it, and said she’ll continue to fight for her brother.
The Dallas County DA’s office is initiating its own investigation.