New details released in death report on suspect killed by law enforcement

Lynn Walker and Trish Choate, Wichita Falls Times Record News
·2 min read

A man shot to death in Wichita County by law enforcement personnel over the weekend appeared intoxicated and made suicidal statements during the incident, according to a report filed with the state.

Anthony Scott Nelon died from multiple gunshot wounds after pointing a gun at officers, according to the report filed with the Texas Attorney General's Office. Nelon did not fire his weapon.

A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper who was wounded at the scene is expected to fully recover, a DPS spokesman, Sgt. Marc Couch, said.

Since the suspect Nelon did not fire his weapon, according to the report, the trooper that was wounded was likely accidentally struck by crossfire from one of the responding law enforcement agencies.

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The Archer County Sheriff's Office responded to a call for service about 11:30 p.m. Saturday in Archer County, and the response turned into a chase, according to officials. It ended on Windthorst Road near Hatton Road in Wichita County.

The report filed Monday reveals new details surrounding the death of the 45-year-old who was involved in a confrontation with law enforcement officers that resulted in a hail of gunfire.

Nelon's time of death was 12:46 a.m. Sunday, according to the custodial death report filed with the AG's Office.

Homicide, including justifiable homicide, was the cause of death listed in the report for Nelon, who was from Early, a suburb of Brownwood in central Texas.

When the pursuit of Nelon ended on Windthorst Road, he sat in his car for about 25 minutes, according to the report. He then got out of the vehicle with a black handgun and pointed it at the officers on the scene.

Multiple officers from four different agencies engaged Nelon, according to the report. Rifle/shotgun gunfire killed him. Autopsy results are pending.

The Texas Rangers were subsequently called in to investigate what the report termed a "pre-custodial use of force."

The most serious offenses Nelon would have been charged with at the time of his death included evading law enforcement with a vehicle and criminal trespass.

Not only did he attempt to flee, he also started a standoff, according to the report. In addition, Nelon was suspected of violent crime against persons. Archer County Sheriff Jack Curd filed the report Monday afternoon with the AG's Office.

In a short press release Monday evening, Couch provided few details about the incident. An unidentified DPS trooper who was wounded was home Monday after receiving medical treatment.

Nelon is a former resident of Wichita County and had a history of minor brushes with law enforcement here.

Besides the Archer County Sheriff's Office and the DPS, the Wichita County Sheriff's Office and Wichita Falls police had a presence at the scene.

Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here. Her Twitter handle is @Trishapedia.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Man from Brownwood area ID'd as suspect killed by officers