A homeless woman named Margarita Victoria Brooks was shot and killed by a Texas police officer who was reportedly trying to shoot her dog for barking too loudly.
The exact details of the woman’s death only came to light after reviewing the bodycam footage of the incident.
The video shows the woman lying on the ground next to her dog. The unidentified Arlington patrol officer attempts to call out to her, at which point the dog started to bark.
The officer then pulled out his gun and shot at the dog as he was approaching.
The third shot seems to have hit the woman, who immediately cried out in pain. The police officer raced to her but was too late, as she passed away not long after the incident.
According to official reports, the officer, who is Asian-American, is a rookie with minimal experience out on his own.
A statement on the tragic incident read: “As the officer called out to the woman repeatedly concerning her welfare, the dog began to run toward the officer while barking. The officer retreated backwards from the running dog while drawing his duty firearm. The officer discharged his firearm multiple times toward the dog. Preliminary information leads investigators to believe the woman was struck by gunfire from the officer.”
Police Chief Will Johnson also shared: “Our hearts are broken for the Brooks family and the police officer involved. Clearly, this is not the outcome that the officer wanted, nor is it the outcome that the department wanted. Miss Brooks was never the intended target of the officer’s use of force. On behalf of the entire department, I offer my sincerest condolences. And I ask for prayers, not only for the family but for the officer that was involved in this call.”
Authorities have also reiterated that the officer never intended to shoot or kill the woman, and her death was entirely accidental. She was rushed to the hospital, where she passed away from her injuries.
The official cause of death has not been announced yet, but the police seem to have good reason to believe that the gunshot was indeed what killed her.
Further reports indicate that the deceased woman was the daughter of a Fire Captain from Arlington.
The dog is reportedly injured but safe, and has been taken in. It is not clear what will happen to the animal following the incident, though many have raised that question.
The woman was known in the neighborhood as Maggie, and people reported seeing her with her boyfriend and their dog.
The woman had a criminal past, but she was never involved in anything significant.
