Dallas police officer charged with manslaughter

The city of Dallas is considering more serious charges for an off-duty police officer who shot an unarmed black man in his own apartment last week. Officer Amber Guyger now faces a manslaughter charge for shooting and killing 26-year-old Botham Jean. District Attorney Faith Johnson said investigators are still trying to figure out what happened. “We are going to unravel whatever we need to unravel,” she said. “We are going to unturn whatever we need to unturn. And we are going to present a full case to the grand jury of Dallas County.”

Guyger, who is white, returned to her apartment complex after a 15-hour shift and said she parked on the wrong floor of the parking garage. She then entered Jean’s apartment, thinking it was her own. When she saw a figure moving around in the dark, she told investigators that she drew her weapon and, after Jean refused her verbal commands, fired twice, claiming she didn’t realize she had entered the wrong apartment until she turned on the lights.

The victim’s family has questioned why it took three days to arrest Guyger. “She shouldn’t have left that scene without being in handcuffs that day,” said attorney Lee Merritt, who represents the victim’s family.