A Royse City man was shot and killed yesterday by an off-duty Garland policeman who was trying to diffuse a road rage incident in the parking lot of Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall.
According to police and media reports, Troy Van Pool, 31, was irate with another driver, forced him to stop in the parking lot and was screaming at him through his Ford Mustang car window when off-duty officer Brandon Hernandez approached the scene. Apparently, after the officer directed Van Pool to go on his way, Van Pool pointed a handgun at him. The policeman immediately fired several shots at Van Pool, killing him instantly. The other driver was not injured. Several adults and children witnessed the tragedy.
Police spokesman have defended the policeman’s actions, after the dead man’s family complained that the officer should have first shown his badge and identified himself. Local police interviewed said that in situations like these officers don’t have time to identify themselves.
More stories will likely appear soon in DFW media.
