Dallas Police Chief David Brown is dealing with personal tragedy after his son was killed in a shootout with police on June 20 after killing a police officer and another man.
According to police, David Brown Jr. shot and killed , 23-year-old Jeremy McMillian, as Brown drove his girlfriend and two small children into the apartment complex where he lived in Lancaster, Texas.
When police responded, Brown opened fire on them, killing Lancaster police officer Craig Shaw before being shot and killed by other officers.
The elder Brown now has to deal with the loss of a son and the death of a fellow officer of the law.
“The past few days have been very troubling and emotional for all of us,” Brown said in a statement. “My family has not only lost a son, but a fellow police officer and a private citizen lost their lives at the hands of our son.† That hurts so deeply I cannot adequately express the sadness I feel inside my heart.”
A chaotic scene led up to the shooting just after 6 p.m., according to 911 tapes. The younger Brown was said to be in a rage and intent on violence.
A female caller on the tapes said a man clad in underwear was running with a gun and said there was “a lady screaming that there was shots fired.”
Brown’s girlfriend had even called the emergency line at about 10 a.m. that morning to report a domestic disturbance and that she was in fear of the lives of her children and herself.
“My boyfriend—I don’t know what you call it; psychotic episode or what, but he‘s done it before,” said the woman, Misti Conaway. “He’s got my kids locked in the apartment with him and he’s going crazy. He hit me in my ribs and sent me outside and I don’t know what to do.”
When police arrived, the five and 10-year-old children were outside with Conaway. They found no evidence of any injury to Conaway, and Brown released the children to her.
Lancaster Police did not arrest the younger Brown for that incident because Lancaster Police Chief Keith Humphrey told the Dallas Morning News “there was no violence, there was no offense.” Conaway and the children left the apartment complex with police.
A spokeswoman for the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department would not discuss how McMillian and Brown Jr. might have known each other, or what the motive behind the initial shooting might have been, according to CBS News.
Funeral services for McMillian took place June 25, while those for Officer Shaw were held on June 26.
“My deepest sympathy goes out to Officer Craig Shaw’s family, the Lancaster police Department and to the citizens that he was attempting to protect,” Brown said in a statement. “I also want to express my sympathy to the family of Jeremy McMillian.† I have reached out to both families. I pray that both families find comfort from their faith, family and friends during this difficult time.”