Arlington police have made public a video capturing a fatal incident at Motel 6, where a man was seen assaulting a motel guest with a knife before being shot by responding officers. The event unfolded in the early hours of November 27, near AT&T Stadium, as indicated by video footage from security and police body cameras, reported by FOX 4 News.
Edgar Garcia, 34, was identified as the man who agitatedly banged on motel doors and kicked trash cans at a nearby shopping center before the intervention. Responding officers could not locate him after reports of his initial disturbance but found him inside the motel after he managed to enter by tricking a guest. Chief Al Jones described the guest's encounter with Garcia, who, upon hearing the commotion, opened the door and was confronted by the intruder.
The altercation escalated when Garcia forced his way into a third-floor room, brandishing a knife and beginning a struggle with the guest. Police, alerted by the victim's cries for help, attempted to breach the door. "Once the motel guest opened the door and the officers could see Mr. Garcia holding the knife, they gave multiple commands to drop it, and he didn't comply," detailed Chief Jones. Garcia's defiance and, his proclamation of having a "hostage", led to the officers' use of lethal force, FOX 4 News reported.
Following the shooting, both officers were placed on routine administrative leave. However, they have since resumed their duties, a piece of information echoed by both FOX 4 News and CBS News Texas. Garcia succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital, while the guest sustained several lacerations and received treatment. The underlying motives for Garcia's actions remain indeterminate; however, the possibility of substance influence has not been dismissed, police told FOX 4 News. Investigators are awaiting a toxicology report for further insights.
