Name of Dallas cop who killed Black man after claiming she mistook his home for hers revealed
The Dallas police officer who killed a Black man after she says she mistook it for her own has finally been identified. Amber Guyger had her name released to the public on Saturday when she was charged with misdemeanor manslaughter after shooting and killing 26-year-old Botham Shem Jean, a native of St. Lucia who later died at a Dallas area hospital after attempts to save his life failed.
The Texas Rangers took over the investigation of the incident in order to reduce any appearance of a bias, according to Dallas police chief Ulysha Renee Hall. The Texas Rangers are not affiliated with any local police departments, but instead have a statewide jurisdiction.
Hall called a press conference on Saturday saying that the case involving Guyger had “more questions than answers” and clarifying the department’s involvement in the case.
“On behalf of the Dallas Police Department, we are continuing to pray for Mr. Jean’s family, and ask that the community remain patient as this investigation is conducted,” Hall said, “… as we continued this investigation it became clear that we were dealing with what appears to be a much different and very unique situation. A blood sample was drawn to test for drugs and alcohol, we are in the process of obtaining a warrant, and we have also invited the Texas Rangers to conduct an independent investigation.”
Last year, Guyger was also involved in an incident where she shot a man named Uvaldo Perez with her taser before a struggle and Perez was shot in the abdomen. Guyger was not charged as a result of that incident, and Jean’s family is does not want this case to yield a similar fate.
According to USA Today, Jean’s mother who flew into Dallas from St. Lucia to speak to reporters, telling them, “She (Guyger) took my life away, like my very own life… She has to face whatever the law says. The very Bible says to render to Caesar that which is Caesar so if Caesar says to pay a penalty for a life, then she has to pay.” Prominent Dallas attorney Lee Merritt is representing the family along with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump.
Before Guyger was charged, Merritt told reporters, “We believe the fact that (charges have) not happened yet is a reflection on deferential treatment for law enforcement officers.” A funeral will be held in Dallas on Thursday at Jean’s church in Dallas, the Dallas West Church of Christ, at 11 AM, before his body is flown back to St. Lucia where he will be buried.