US: Cop enters home thinking it's hers, shoots owner dead
In a heart-breaking incident, a police officer in Dallas shot her neighbor after entering his home, thinking it was her apartment. After shooting the neighbor, identified as 26-year-old Botham Jean, on Thursday, the officer called dispatch to report the incident. The responding officers provided first aid to Jean, but couldn't save him. Dallas Police are now in the process of obtaining a warrant.
Jean, a native of Caribbean island of St. Lucia, studied at a college in Arkansas. He was working for accounting and consulting firm, PwC. "She took away my heart, she took away my soul, she took away everything," his heartbroken mother Allie Jean said. Further, she said her son was a kind person and had no reason to doubt anyone on his door.
The whereabouts of the officer, whose identity wasn't revealed, weren't known to Police Chief Renee Hall. Under current circumstances, police are looking to pursue a manslaughter case. The police officer's blood was drawn to be tested for drugs and alcohol. She refused to speculate on fatigue or other factors which may have led to the shooting. She added she expressed grief to Jean's sister.
The police said the officer was in full uniform when she shot Jean. Hall said the Dallas police has launched an independent investigation along with Texas Rangers. The officer will be placed on administrative leave until the investigation ends. Speaking about the case, Sgt Warren Mitchell said, "We still have a lot to do in this investigation," and sought time to give answers.
Residents of the upscale apartment, which is a few blocks away from Dallas' police headquarters, said they can access their homes through normal key or keypad code. Tomiya Melvin, a local said, she learned about the incident the morning after. "It's terrible. I hope it's just a tragic accident and nothing more than that," Melvin said. Others neighbors spoke about noise after the incident.
