WISE COUNTY, Texas — A Wise County man was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies Wednesday night after leading them on a pursuit and lunging at them while wielding a large skinning knife, according to the department.
The Wise County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) said the county's Emergency Communications Center (ECC) got a call at approximately 11:30 p.m. from a man reporting a family disturbance. The man asked for deputies to be sent to his home on FM 920 just southwest of Bridgeport because he said a relative, who was “high on drugs,” came to his house and started banging on the door, according to a WCSO press release.
WCSO said its deputies arrived at the home by 11:45 p.m., and a silver Dodge pickup drove away as they got there. One of the deputies followed the truck and activated their emergency lights, the driver refused to yield and continued southbound on FM 920, WCSO said.
At this point, other WCSO units joined in the chase of the Dodge pickup. The truck then turned left – now headed eastbound – onto a private road and came to a stop.
Deputies told the man to get out of the truck, which he eventually did. When the driver got out of the pickup, he was "waving a large skinning knife," according to WCSO. Deputies told the man to drop the knife and he refused, WCSO said. One of the deputies tased the man, and then the man lunged with the knife in hand toward the closest deputy, according to WCSO.
Deputies fired several rounds at him, and he died despite deputies using life-saving methods. Wise County EMS also responded to the scene and tried to revive the man, but were unable to do so, WCSO said.
The man was not identified by WCSO pending notification of next of kin.
The Texas Rangers are investigating the case, WCSO said.
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