A Plano police officer said he accidentally killed a drug suspect when he pulled the trigger on his gun while trying to activate his gun-mounted flashlight.
Michael Anthony Alcala, 25, was shot and killed at about 11 p.m. on Oct. 13 in the parking lot of a Jack in the Box restaurant on the North Dallas Tollway at Frankford Road.
Undercover narcotics officers were attempting to arrest Alcala. The officers said he tried to sell them heroin.
In records obtained by the Dallas Morning News, the Plano officer told Dallas police investigators that he never intended to have his finger on the gun trigger and only intended to shine his light on Alcala.
Ray's Sporting Goods on Singleton Boulevard in Dallas carries the Surefire X300 flashlight and Springfield .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol that the officer was using.
Chuck Payne, of Ray's, said officers like the extremely compact, very bright gun-mounted light as opposed to carrying a traditional heavy flightlight.
"You have them temporarily blinded, which is to your advantage," he said. "Now, the disadvantage is that you have a gun pointed at them while you're pointing the light at them."
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The Surefire X300 has a switch that can be operated without touching the firing trigger on the gun.
"This gun, unless you pull the trigger, won't shoot," Payne said.
Dallas police spokesman Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse said Dallas detectives presented the case to a Collin County grand jury.
The grand jury declined to charge the Plano officer with a crime, so the Dallas police investigation is closed, Janse said.
Plano police are still reviewing whether the officer should be disciplined.
Public records show Alcala had a prior record for marijuana possession, auto theft and drunken driving.
No one answered the door Friday at Alcala's family's home.
A neighbor who declined to be identified said his death is sad but that it was not surprising that he came in contact with police again.
