Man wounded by Denton police as he fired at them while holding woman, authorities say
A 39-year-old man was shot and wounded by Denton police Wednesday morning as he brandished a gun, held a woman and fired at officers at an apartment complex, Denton police said.
Two Denton officers returned fire and wounded the man.
The 29-year-old female hostage was not wounded, Denton police said.
No Denton officers were injured in the shooting.
Denton police responded to a shots fired call shortly before 2:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 2400 block of south Interstate 35E at the Pace’s Crossing Apartments. Someone had fired shots inside of an apartment.
“It’s one of the most dangerous calls police make,” said Denton Police Chief Frank Dixon in reference to a domestic dispute call. “Police don’t know what’s on the other side of the door.”’
A 911 caller reported hearing gunshots and something like the sound of a woman being thrown against a wall, Denton police said.
A Denton police officer arrived and heard a gunshot from an apartment. The officer waited for other police officers to arrive.
At some point, the door of an apartment opened and the suspect pointed a gun outside at officers.
In the next few minutes, the man — armed with a gun and holding the woman — stepped outside of the apartment as officers ordered him to put down the weapon, but he retreated back into the apartment, police said.
He exited a second time with the handgun and the hostage, and fired at officers, who fired back, police said.
The man was being treated for a gunshot wound, but his injuries were not life threatening, the police chief said. His name has not been released.
Dixon said Denton police had responded to the apartment on two other occasions before Wednesday morning, once for a verbal altercation between the man and woman. The police chief said he did not know the relationship between the two, but they had been living together.
The officers involved in the shooting were placed on routine administrative leave pending an investigation by Denton police and the Texas Rangers.
The Texas Rangers also are investigating the shooting.
