Early the morning of May 11, 2009, a Paris Police Department Patrol Officer was forced to shoot and wound a suspect who fired two shots and aimed his weapon at the officer. Paris Police received a 9-1-1 call from an apartment at 3095 Lamar at 12:27 AM regarding a man with a gun in the parking lot threatening a person who was in the apartment. The caller identified the person as a Robert Shawn Lindsey. While this 9-1-1 call was being handled, a second 9-1-1 call came in to the police station from Lindsey. Lindsey stated that he had a gun and did not want to live without this person in the apartment being a part of his life. As the 9-1-1 operator attempted to talk further with Lindsey, the line disconnected.
Two officers were immediately dispatched to the scene and given the information regarding the threat and that the suspect was armed. Upon the first officer’s arrival on the scene, a confrontation took place in which Lindsey was screaming at the officer to kill him and fired two shots into the ground and then pointed a firearm at the officer. During the confrontation, at least 21 times the officer told Lindsey to stop approaching the officer and drop the gun. Lindsey’s response was to bring the weapon up and point it at the officer at which time Lindsey was shot once by the officer. As Lindsey fell, he dropped the gun, but once on the ground, started reaching for the weapon. The officer again told him to stop and to not touch the gun. As Lindsey grabbed the gun, he was shot again by the officer.
Lindsey and the weapon were secured by other arriving officers. Paris EMS was called to transport Lindsey to the hospital for treatment. The officer was not injured.
Following standard procedure, Interim Police Chief Bob Hundley requested the local Texas Ranger, Sgt. Stacey McNeal, to investigate the shooting as the police department conducts its own concurrent
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internal investigation of the incident. The Lamar County District Attorney’s office was made aware of the incident and the continuing investigation. Results of both investigations will be turned over to the District Attorney’s office.
Standard procedure also dictates that the officer be placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation and not identified at this time. The suspect remains hospitalized in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.