Armed driver shot by Arlington officer in I-20 traffic stop dies at hospital, police say

A driver is dead after he refused to put down a gun during a traffic stop and an Arlington police officer shot him Thursday afternoon on Interstate 20, according to Arlington police.

The driver, who was in the vehicle by himself, was taken to a hospital, where he died, according to police.

The driver’s identity will be released by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office after it notifies next-of-kin.

Sgt. Courtney White, an Arlington police spokesperson, said the man was pulled over for driving erratically. The officer, who was on a motorcycle when he performed the stop, talked to the man and, during the conversation, decided to ask the driver to step out of the vehicle.

That’s when the officer saw the driver was holding a firearm, White said. The officer gave multiple orders to drop the weapon, but the man refused. The officer fired multiple times, hitting the driver.

White said it’s not yet known whether the driver fired his weapon and that the officer shot in response to “his actions.”

The officer was not injured in the shooting.

Video from the scene showed a black Cadillac car with a shattered front passenger-side window.

All westbound lanes of Interstate 20 were closed near Park Springs Boulevard in Arlington on Thursday afternoon following the shooting about 1:30 p.m.

Images from traffic cameras showed multiple police cars on I-20, and police were diverting traffic.

Police said drivers should expect delays through the area.

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