Richland Hills officers fatally shoot armed suspect near North Richland Hills, police say

Richland Hills police shot and killed a suspect during an investigation Friday afternoon in the area of Boulevard 26 and Glenview Drive, according to a news release from the department.

No officers were injured, and no one else was hurt in the incident.

Police spokeswoman Sheena McEachran said at a press conference that the man killed by officers was armed with a rifle and pointed it at police after they responded to a call about shots he had fired in the 7000 block of Hardisty Street.

Officers encountered the man in the 7000 block of Boulevard 26. At a press conference Friday afternoon, McEachran said it was believed the man had shot at officers before they returned fire.

In a second press conference at 8:30 p.m. to provide an update on the investigation, McEachran said she did not know if the man fired any shots at officers, but that he did raise the rifle he was carrying and point it at police before they shot him.

A piece of equipment that appeared to be a ballistics shield was propped up on the back of a police vehicle at the scene on Boulevard 26.

Paramedics were called and tried to perform life-saving care, but the man died at the scene, according to McEachran.

Two officers fired shots, McEachran said. She said police do not yet know how many shots were fired or how many times the man was hit. She also said they have not confirmed whether the man drove or went on foot to Boulevard 26, which is about a block away from Hardisty Street.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office will identify the man after his next of kin has been notified.

Police received the call about the shooting on Hardisty Street at 3:11 p.m. Friday, McEachran said.

Neighbors told the Star-Telegram the man owned a house in the area.

One resident said he heard two gunshots on Hardisty Street on Friday afternoon and looked out his window to see the man carrying a rifle and chasing someone. A short time afterward, he heard more gunshots coming from Boulevard 26.

Police were preparing to search the man’s home in the 7000 block of Hardisty Street on Friday afternoon after the shooting.

Neighbors said the man who was killed had been living in a camper trailer in front of that home despite the fact he’d recently finished renovations, including an expansion.

None of the neighbors who spoke to the Star-Telegram agreed to share their names, citing fears that they could face reprisals for talking about the man.

Neighbors said the man behaved oddly and recently started wearing a ski mask anytime he was outside.

His trailer had blue lights on the front, multiple neighbors said, and he would turn them on at night. They saw different vehicles drive up slowly, pull into the driveway and then leave shortly afterward anytime the blue lights were on.

Two neighbors recalled seeing a Tarrant County constable and police officers visit the home on a couple of occasions in the past month or so. The neighbors said the man became agitated and the law enforcement officers left.

The Texas Rangers are investigating the shooting by the officers, and neighboring law enforcement agencies will be handling the criminal investigation, according to the release.

Police closed off a one-block perimeter around the intersection of Glenview Drive and Boulevard 26 also known as Texas 26, during the investigation. A heavy police presence continued Friday night, and residents were asked to avoid the area.

The area is near the border between Richland Hills and North Richland Hills.

Police asked anyone with information on the incident to contact Detective Goen at 817-427-7031 or bgoen@nrhtx.com.

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