Aug 28, 2018

Former Texas cop found guilty of killing unarmed teen Jordan Edwards

Khorri Atkinson

Fired Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver during his trial at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas. Photo: Rose Baca-Pool/Getty Images

Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver was found guilty on Tuesday of killing 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, who was in the passenger seat of a car that Oliver opened fire on in April 2017, reports the Dallas Morning News.

Why it matters: The fatal shooting of the unarmed black teenager by a white police officer had reverberated nationwide and became a rallying cry about race and the use of deadly force by police. While indictments of police officers in Dallas have become common, convictions still remain rare, the Dallas Morning News notes.

The details: A Dallas County jury found the former officer, Roy Oliver, not guilty on two counts of aggravated assault connected to the shooting death of the high school freshman, which was recorded by body camera.

Oliver and his partner, Tyler Gross, were dispatched to a house party after a call reporting underage drinking.
Oliver fired into a moving car carrying five black teenagers leaving the party. The officer testified that he opened fire, shooting five times, after seeing the car move toward his partner and thought he was in danger. But Gross testified that he was not in fear for his life and didn't feel the need to fire his weapon.

Worthy of your time: A Texas Tribune investigation into police shootings in Texas' biggest cities from 2010-2015.

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Former Texas cop found guilty of killing unarmed teen Jordan Edwards

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