Police identify shooter, victims after 3 officers shot, 2 residents killed in Haltom City

A gunman killed two people at a home and wounded three police officers and a neighbor before taking his own life Saturday night in Haltom City, authorities said.

Police on Sunday identified the wounded officers as Cpl. Zach Tabler, who has been with the Haltom City department for seven years; Officer Tim Barton, with six years of service; and Officer Jose Avila, with five years of service.

Police said the two slain victims were Collin Davis, 33, and Amber Tsai, 32. Tsai lived at the home where the shooting started, according to property records. A woman, a neighbor who called 911, was also shot but is expected to undergo surgery and survive, police said at a press conference Sunday afternoon.

Police identified the shooter as Edward Freyman, 28. They said he knew the victims but that the details of their relationship and the motive for the shooting are under investigation.

The wounded officers were taken to hospitals and they are expected to survive, police said. Tabler was shot in his right arm, finger and leg. He underwent surgery and was hospitalized Sunday. Avila was hit in his legs and was awaiting surgery Sunday. Barton was shot in his upper thigh and was treated and released from a hospital.

Haltom City Police Department spokesman Sgt. Rick Alexander said Tsai was found dead inside her home, and Davis was found dead in the driveway.

The initial call of shots fired came about 6:45 p.m. Saturday, Alexander said. The caller told police the shooting was in the 5700 block of Diamond Oaks Drive North. Another call at 6:52 p.m. reported continued shots fired.

When the first officers arrived, Freyman shot at them and they returned fire, according to video from a neighbor’s doorbell camera shown at Sunday’s news conference. Freyman fled from the back of the house, leading to a manhunt.

A minute after the second 911 call, police had reports of officers injured.

Witnesses told the Star-Telegram that they saw one of the officers fall down after being wounded by gunfire. Other officers with shields surrounded him and carried him away, they said.

Other officers put Tabler and Avila into a North Richland Hills police car to take them to a hospital, police said on Sunday.

One neighbor, Angel Trevino, told the Star-Telegram he at first thought the shots were fireworks for the Fourth of July weekend until he and his wife looked out the window.

“I see the dustup,” Trevino said. “All around there was literally just dirt flying up in the air. We walked out. Another barrage of rounds came up.”

Trevino told his son to get a gun for protection as his wife called 911 and they took cover in their home.

“We looked at the trajectory of where it was coming from and we saw the muzzle fie coming from the (neighbor’s) home,” he said.

Trevino said he saw three officers pull up and his family pointed them to one victim on the ground.

“As soon as they were running toward the victim … as the coward that he was, as soon as the officers got close to that victim, that’s when he fired on them,” Trevino said.

“I’m still commending the officers because they literally ran into it,” he said. “They literally put their lives on the line for my neighbors and my family.”

After officers returned fire, Trevino said, he did not hear other shots.

It was unknown exactly how many shots officers or the gunman fired, but police believe there were hundreds of rounds. It was unclear whether the suspect was hit by police gunfire.

Alexander said police believed the shooter, armed with a rifle and a handgun, was trying to escape and worked to lock down the area.

“The main concern, obviously, was getting the scene secured, trying to get to our officers, be able to get them out of harm’s way, while also keeping containment on the suspect,” Alexander said at a news conference Saturday night.

Freyman was found in the 3900 block of Golden Oaks Drive — about half a mile from the original crime scene — with an apparently self-inflicted wound to the head, police said. He was found with a handgun “in the vicinity of his arms” and a “military-style rifle” near him, Alexander said.

Haltom City has about 60,000 residents and is about five miles northeast of Fort Worth. Its police department has 78 officers.

The shooting led to an hours-long lockdown of the surrounding area. Residents were cautioned to stay indoors if they were home and to avoid the area if they weren’t there already, but a crowd still gathered across Denton Highway to watch as the manhunt continued.

About 8 p.m., an officer told the crowd an active shooter was still believed to be in the area and they should leave for their safety. About 9 p.m., police announced that the gunman was no longer a threat.

Earlier in the evening, police shared a map of the search area, east of Denton Highway, south of Glenview Drive and north of Webster Street.

In a statement on Facebook, Haltom City police said, “We are asking that residents in the area of Glenview and Denton HWY remain in their homes. We are working an active scene and have an armed suspect. He is described as a white male, dark hair, wearing blue shirt, blue pants, ‘battle belt,’ and is armed with a rifle. He was last seen in the area of Cedarcrest (Drive). If seen, do not approach and call 911.”

Police also sent warnings to residents via automated voice messages and texts.

People in the area said there were too many gunshots to count. Police quickly surrounded the neighborhood, they said.

One resident, Ryan Barron, said he heard what sounded like semiautomatic gunfire but that some people didn’t seem to react to it.

“There was a lot of people outside and everyone was just acting casual like nothing was happening,” he told the Star-Telegram in a social media message. “... It was just crazy that no one knew what a gunshot sounded like and how casual everything was.”

Barron said he was walking along Glenview in an open area where homes are being built behind a gas station. He said he would’ve “had nowhere to run if they came down that road.”

Officers from at least five different agencies responded, including Fort Worth and North Richland Hills police, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the U.S. Marshals Service. Officers in tactical gear and a helicopter assisted in the manhunt.

While the gunman was confirmed dead, police continued to block some roads and parking lots in the area past at least 10:30 p.m.

Alexander asked the public for its support and prayers for the officers and their relatives.

“We’ll pull through this and be strong like we always do,” Alexander said.

The Texas Rangers have taken over the investigation, Haltom City police said.

If you or a loved one is experiencing a crisis or suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

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