The Texas Officer Who Fatally Shot Jordan Edwards Is Appealing His Termination
The Texas police officer who fatally shot 15-year-old Jordan Edwards has been fired. Now, the family attorney of the slain boy is calling for much more than that.
The police officer who shot and killed unarmed teen Jordan Edwards has been fired, the Balch Springs Police Department confirmed Wednesday.
Roy Oliver, a six-year veteran of the department, fatally shot the 15-year-old honor student in the head while he was attempting to leave a house party over the weekend.
According to NBC News, police say that Oliver “violated several departmental policies,” and that those specific policies cannot be discussed as there is potential for him to repeal the termination. According to Lee Merritt, an attorney for the Edwards family, Oliver is already attempting to appeal the decision.
Police Chief Jonathan Haber told reporters that the decision to fire Oliver comes after his actions were internally investigated.
The termination of Oliver comes on the heels of authorities changing their story after initially stating that the car police fired upon was moving in “an aggressive manner.” That statement was contradicted by video footage captured on the scene. The police chief said that the vehicle was moving forward and away when shots were fired.
“I take responsibility for that,” Haber said, according to CNN. He also added that the video of the incident raises questions about whether the shooting was necessary, saying he doesn’t believe it “met our core values,” The Washington Post reported.
Edwards, whose death was ruled a homicide, was riding in a vehicle with other teenagers, including his older brother. The high school freshman was described as a loving teenager and a straight-A student.
“Firing the officer who killed #JordanEdwards is a good start but if I murdered someone at work, firing would be the least of my concerns,” Lee Merritt said on Twitter.
This is a developing story.