02/03/10 Dyer County

Officer Involved Shooting Investigation
By: Jonquil Newland
jnewland@wbbjtv.com
10:25 p.m.
 
According to investigators, a Dyersburg man is dead after an officer with the Dyersburg Police Department shot and killed him, Wednesday. Authorities said around 4:00 p.m., an officer was at the McNeal Apartment complex on St. John Avenue to serve a warrant, but something went tragically wrong.
 
"They could have knocked him down on the ground or something instead of shooting him. I though that was what their [stun guns] were for," said Elizabeth Neace. She knows the victim and was in the adjacent apartment when the shooting happened.
 
"It was loud in that apartment, you could hear the gunshots plain as day. It went off three times," said Neace. According to Neace, her 46-year-old neighbor had a troubled but non-violent past. She said an officer was there because he had fallen behind on paying his debt.
 
"He would not pay his bond, he would not pay his fine. He would pay so much and then get short on his money and he would wait and pay some more later," Neace said.
 
Witnesses said while the officer served the warrant, the victim pulled a knife and the officer fired back. "Why shoot him with a gun like that? It just does not make sense to me," said Neace. "He was like a big brother to me. If I needed something he would always be there for me. He is going to be missed."  
 
Officers declined to comment further about the shooting, but said they will release more information on Thursday.