Another unarmed Black man has been shot and killed by law enforcement. This latest shooting took place in Killeen, Texas, where doorbell footage shows the moments before and after Patrick Warren Sr., 52, was shot and killed by a police officer on Sunday, January 10.
During a press conference held on Thursday, January 14, Civil Rights Attorney Lee Merritt, who is representing Warren’s family, said, “there’s no reason that a mental health call like this should result in a fatality.”
Merritt explained that Warren was experiencing a mental crisis over the weekend. Family members called law enforcement and asked that they send a mental health professional for assistance.
The family was informed that a mental health deputy was not available, according to Merritt. Therefore, the Killeen Police Department instead sent Officer Reynaldo Contreras to the residence.
Contreras shot and killed Warren in front of his family within minutes of arriving at the home.
In a video posted on Shaun King’s Instagram page, you can see Officer Contreras approach the front door and announce he’s coming in. Merritt says Warren then asked the officer to leave, and Contreras complied. The video then cuts to Warren walking out of the house and waving his arms at the officer. Contreras can be heard telling Warren to get on the ground, but Warren continues walking in the officer’s direction.
Contreras then tazes Warren. Killeen police claim the tazer proved to be ineffective, as Warren got back up and continued heading in the officer’s direction. That’s when Contreras shot Warren.
Warren later died at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.
Officer Contreras has been placed on administrative leave. However, Warren’s family is demanding he be fired and arrested for murder.
Warren’s son Patrick Warren Jr. created a Go Fund Me page and hopes to raise $50,000 for his father’s funeral costs and living expenses. Warren Jr., who said his father was the sole provider for their family, explained that due to the pandemic, Warren’s life insurance policy expired three months ago after he was let go from his job. He also stated on the Go Fund Me page that the family’s main objection is “to make sure this doesn’t happen again and that no one else has to go through a tragedy like this and watch your father be shot and killed by someone you called for help.”