Denton police shot and killed a man yesterday at a pickleball complex on Riney Road after officers say he threatened them with a metal rod. The man was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead, and Denton police said no officers or nearby residents were injured.
What the police say
According to The Dallas Morning News, officers were called to the 1100 block of Riney Road around 12:10 p.m. after several people reported a man who appeared to be intoxicated. Police told the paper they found the man on the north side of the courts, where he had climbed a fence and was holding a metal rod.
The man, who has not been publicly identified, reportedly told officers they were going to have to kill him before charging at them, the outlet reported. One officer fired a stun gun that struck the man but did not stop him, and another officer then fired multiple shots, according to the report. The man was transported to a hospital and later pronounced deceased.
Where it happened
The shooting took place next to the city’s tennis and pickleball facility along Riney Road. The City of Denton lists the Denton Tennis & Pickleball Center at 1117 Riney Rd. The complex, which opened in 2023, includes outdoor courts and city programming and has quickly become a busy recreation hub near North Lakes Park.
Investigation and oversight
Denton police said the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Texas Rangers will lead the investigation, and that the officer who fired his weapon has been put on administrative leave while the department conducts an internal review, officials told The Dallas Morning News. Police said there was no ongoing threat to the public and that no additional injuries were reported.
Context
Police-involved shootings have drawn attention in Denton in recent years. Hoodline coverage of a 2025 police shooting that prompted a grand-jury review highlighted how such incidents can quickly put local departments under scrutiny. Neighbors and civic groups often push for transparency in Rangers-led investigations, especially around body-camera footage and processing of the scene.
What to watch for next
The Rangers’ review typically includes witness interviews and evidence collection, and that process has in some cases delayed the public release of footage and other details, according to reporting by The Washington Post. Denton police have not released the man’s identity and say they will share additional information as the investigation allows.
