A Dallas police officer is on leave and an investigation is under way after a deadly shooting outside of a nightclub early Thursday morning.
Sr. Cpl. Christopher Timms was working as off-duty security at Club Icon along with fellow Dallas police officers Colwin Dennis and Arif Khan.
All three officers, who were wearing their Dallas Police Department uniforms, tried to break up a fight that had erupted between two large groups of people in the parking lot behind the club, police said.
At some point in the melee, Timms witnessed a man pull a gun and began firing into the crowd. Fearing for the lives of the people in the crowd, Timms opened fire on the man, fatally wounding him.
Another man was also shot, but it’s unclear if he was shot in the gun battle or by the officer.
Dallas police identified the deceased man as Tyrique Rashad Johnson, 21.
Hours after the deadly shooting in the parking lot, crime scene techs have been digging for evidence using metal detectors to search for clues.
Police said they did find a pistol in the parking lot, but at this point don’t know how many people had guns.
Evidence shows at least a dozen shots were fired.
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Timms is the only officer on routine paid leave right now as police investigate if the shooting was justified.
