The Residence at Lake Highlands. From Facebook.
Many residents of White Rock Valley and the apartment communities on Audelia near Walnut Hill spent a terrified night huddled in their homes while police searched outside for a suspect. The man was on the run after shooting a Dallas police officer.
The incident began about 1:00 a.m. Monday, police say, when the man began banging loudly and kicking at a door at The Residence at Lake Highlands in the 9800 block of Audelia. Police were called about an attempted burglary, and the man shot at responding officers. One officer, a sergeant, was struck in the hand, and the suspect ran south into the neighborhood surrounding White Rock Elementary.
For the next 3 hours, officers blocked entrances to the neighborhood while a Dallas Police helicopter and squad cars shone bright spotlights into backyards, bushes, drainage ditches, tool sheds and any other potential hiding spot. Inside their homes, frightened neighbors listened to police scanners and messaged each other to figure out what was going on.
The suspect was arrested at about 4 a.m. at another apartment complex in the area. He was bloody and dirty and no longer in possession of the gun. Police dogs were brought in to search for the weapon.
Chief Eddie Garcia, in an early morning update, said the injured sergeant sustained a serious injury to his gun hand but is in good spirits while undergoing tests. Garcia shared words of admiration for his team’s bravery and appreciation for Garland and Mesquite officers who assisted in the search and apprehension of the suspect.
The identity of the officer and the suspect was not given.
