Man Shot by Officer at Arlington Mall Had Called 911 to Say He Had Gun, Would Shoot, Police Say

The man who was shot by an Arlington police officer after he pulled out a replica gun in a crowded shopping center Sunday had called 911 earlier to say he had a gun and would use it, police say.Security personnel and Arlington police were following William Paul Dodd, 21, about 4:20 p.m. Sunday after he stole two pairs of Ray-Ban's from the Sunglass Hut in The Parks at Arlington mall, police Lt. Christopher Cook said. As he fled, Dodd pulled out what was later determined to be an imitation firearm and pointed it at an on-duty Arlington officer, who fired multiple times, striking Dodd. Dodd is at Medical City Arlington in critical condition. He is sedated and has not been able to speak to officers, Cook said. An hour before the shoplifting incident, a man who identified himself as William Dodd called 911 and said that he was a suspect in an evading arrest call and that he knew Arlington police were looking for him. "I know Arlington is looking for me, but I got a gun so if you pull me over I'm going to shoot so just be ready," the man said during the call. He disconnected and when a 911 dispatcher called him back, he said he did not want to turn himself in but was near S.J. Stovall Park, about four miles from the shopping center. He sounded incoherent and reiterated he would shoot police, according to an audio recording of the call.Officers were dispatched to the park in the 2800 block of West Sublett Road, but they could not find Dodd. The call was cleared at 4 p.m.  Continue reading...