Fort Worth Cop Shoots, Kills Local Man In Front of His Three Kids

This past Monday night, a Fort Worth police officer pulled over a SUV driven by Charal Thomas, 32.
Thomas' three kids, ranging in age from 7 to 11, were all riding in the back seat.  There was another adult in the vehicle, but reports aren't clear on who that was.

It started out as a routine traffic stop. It was around seven o'clock on Monday evening, a little after dusk, on Lucas Drive in Fort Worth, Texas. 

We don't have the details on what was said, but we know that routine traffic stop didn't stay that way.  Things went awry -- and for some reason Charal Thomas pulled away, dragging the cop along for a number of blocks, as the police officer held onto the SUV. 

Perhaps the cop held onto the door handle, his feet on the SUV's foot ramps.  Maybe he grabbed onto an overhead rack.  The details still aren't clear.

What we do know is that Mr. Thomas had several outstanding warrants -- and that the Fort Worth cop chose not to let go of the vehicle.  Instead of letting go of the car, the Fort Worth officer chose to pull his gun and shoot Mr. Thomas in the head.  Killing Charal Thomas, 32, in front of his kids -- and as he was driving the vehicle that they were in.

Needless to say, the Fort Worth community is shocked by this incident. 

There was a vigil last night on East Rosedale in Fort Worth.  Candles were lit, people spoke.  People are angry.

And it's not over.  The identity of the Fort Worth officer hasn't been revealed because of a concern over his safety, and he already has a lawyer to speak on his behalf.  According to the lawyer, the cop felt he had to shoot because his own life was in danger.  No explanation yet on why he grabbed onto that SUV, filled with kids, in the first place.

This is going to be a big lawsuit. Another lawsuit against the Fort Worth Police Department for overzealous police behavior...(remember the Tazer lawsuits from last year) ....