A Monday night confrontation in Lower Greenville escalated from an alleged slap inside a Family Dollar to a SWAT standoff, after police say a man pulled a gun on a bystander and fired at the bystander’s dog.
Dallas police said the disturbance began when a woman inside the store reported that a man slapped her. A man walking a dog nearby stepped in, and officers say the suspect pulled a handgun, threatened the bystander and fired at least one round toward the dog before running off. Police later said the dog’s condition was still unknown.
Officers tracked a suspect to an apartment several blocks away, called in tactical units when he refused to come out and eventually used gas to end the standoff. Two people were detained and Dallas police said the primary suspect is expected to face aggravated assault charges. Authorities have not released his identity.
Dallas police told FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth that officers were dispatched to the 1300 block of Greenville Avenue around 7:45 p.m. after several 911 calls reporting gunfire near the Family Dollar. Investigators told the outlet the suspect then ran from the area on foot.
Tips led officers to an apartment in the 5400 block of Bryan Street, where a tactical team set up a perimeter and tried to talk the suspect out. When he did not come to the door, police escalated to a gas deployment to clear the unit and take him into custody.
How the standoff unfolded
Police said that when the man would not exit the Bryan Street apartment, a SWAT team deployed non-lethal gas into the unit. Officers then went in and detained the suspect without additional violence, along with another person who was also inside the apartment.
Nearby streets were temporarily shut down while investigators processed the scene and interviewed witnesses. Dallas police did not immediately release the suspect’s name or describe any specific injuries related to the confrontation or the gas deployment.
What officials say
As FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth reports, the woman involved in the original disturbance flagged down officers and reported being slapped. Police at the scene characterized the case as an aggravated assault investigation and said detectives would present the evidence to prosecutors for formal charging decisions.
Authorities also told the outlet that, as of the initial report, they had not confirmed the condition of the bystander’s dog.
Legal notes
Dallas police said the suspect is expected to be charged with aggravated assault. Under Texas law, aggravated assault is generally a felony offense and can be elevated when a deadly weapon is used or when serious bodily injury occurs, according to the Texas Penal Code.
The investigation remains active, and police said they are continuing to interview witnesses and review evidence. Authorities had not released formal charges or the suspect’s identity at the time of the report.
