Texas Rangers are investigating after a man, who obtained an officers taser during a physical struggle, pointed the taser at the officer “placing the officer in immediate danger of being incapacitated,” was shot and later died in hospital.
According to reports, 44-year-old Antonio Sessions of Greenville, Texas, was a convicted felon, wanted out of Rockwall County for Assault on a Public Servant, Resisting Arrest and Drug charges.
At approximately 8:50 p.m. on Mar. 8, 2024, a Paris Police Officer responded to the Atwoods Store located at 2445 N. Main Street to investigate a report of a suspicious male who had been in a dressing room for over 30 minutes and would not respond to store employees who were preparing to close the store for the evening.
“The Officer eventually persuaded Sessions to exit the dressing room and as the Officer attempted to detain him for further investigation, he broke away and ran toward the store’s main exit,” Paris Police Chief Richard Salter.
The officer pursued Sessions and temporarily subdued him. As the Officer re-attempted to restrain Sessions, he actively resisted arrest, and during a physical struggle with the Officer, Sessions gained possession of the Officer’s taser.
“Sessions then ran a short distance inside the store before turning and pointing the taser at the officer placing the officer in immediate danger of being incapacitated. The officer properly reacted, firing his duty weapon hitting Sessions in the chest.”
Paris PD Officers and Lamar County Deputies administered life-saving first aid until medical EMT’s arrived.
“Sessions was subsequently transported to Paris Regional Medical Center by Ambulance where he later expired.”
The Texas Rangers were contacted and responded to the scene to assume responsibility for the post-shooting investigation.
“In accordance with Paris Police Department policy, the officer involved has been placed on administrative paid-leave pending an internal administrative review of this incident,” said Salter. “Per the Texas Open Records Act, no additional information will be released until the Texas Rangers’ investigation has been adjudicated through the Lamar County District Attorney’s Office.”
