Summary: A UNT student wielding an ax was fatally shot two months ago by a police officer but witnesses claim the student was not threatening anyone, especially the officer.
In December a University of North Texas student was fatally shot by a police officer. The student, Ryan McMillan, had just celebrated his 21st birthday. McMilllan’s family is now seeking legal action against the officer for shooting their son despite the fact that McMillian was carrying around an ax and ignoring verbal requests.
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Four witness accounts of the shooting say that 27-year-old UNT police Cpl. Stephen Bean overreacted by shooting McMillan. The police have also failed to review all the evidence in the case allowing it to move too fast and be pushed “to the grand jury without a full and fair investigation.”
McMillan had his arms down at his sides with the ax in one hand when he was shot several times but was not displaying any attacking or threatening behavior towards the officer. The family’s attorney Renee Higginbotham-Brooks said, “No tasers, no chemical sprays, no tolerance was afforded this young man. Death should have been the option of choice when nonlethal force…should have been the obvious choice.”
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Officer Bean was called to the location after a 911 caller reported a man breaking car windows with an object that looked like an ax or hammer. Ten vehicles were reported as damaged. The case had since been turned over the Texas Rangers soon after the incident, which immediately released the dash-cam footage showing McMillan stepping off the curb in front of the cop car with an ax in his hand.
Officer Bean ordered McMillan to “back away” many times but he ignored the officer’s demands, instead walking towards Bean and saying “Shoot me.” Once McMillan was around 5 feet from Bean, he fired three shots.
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Bean’s response to the incident is being questioned. He remains on desk duty until the investigation is finalized.
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