TX - Botham Shem Jean, 26, killed when police officer entered wrong apartment, Dallas, Sept 2018

[Betty P]

there you go the Key was the issue I had when I was watching the news this morning NO ONE BUT NO ONE leaves their door open down there ( seriously ) it a upscale apt , in a neighborhood that's trying to be more upscale but crime and theft , mostly theft are really rampant in that area ! NO way would I have an unlocked door there!

I'm wondering if he heard her fumbling with her key at his door and went to open it to see what was going on. When he opened the door, perhaps she just started yelling, then shot him. Neighbors said they heard police yelling out in the hallway.

I'm going to guess she was drunk or otherwise impaired. How else do you make that kind of mistake? If not impaired, what else could the reason be? Just dumb and trigger happy?

JMO, this has happened before in recent months or last year or so, will have to look it up.

 

[sloane7777]

I'm sorry I fully believe there is more to this, and if you are that jumpy , you don't need to carry a firearm for a living. this reminds me a lot of the officer who served a warrant thru a girls back window that got shot but didn't announce himself and the young girl ended up with a hefty prison sentence. A victim of an officers bad choice , I hope this new Police Chief in Dallas can get this area under control a bit.

 

[katydid23]

How did she get into his apartment? Was his door unlocked?

 

[Tugela]

Anyone would know immediately that they were in the wrong home as soon as they walked through the door, unless they were either drunk or high on drugs. I don't buy her story. There has got to be more to it than that. If this was one of her neighbors I bet she had some kind of dispute with him and shot him out of anger, now she is coming up with this weak excuse to try and wriggle out of it.

 

[Betty P]

I'm sorry I fully believe there is more to this, and if you are that jumpy , you don't need to carry a firearm for a living. this reminds me a lot of the officer who served a warrant thru a girls back window that got shot but didn't announce himself and the young girl ended up with a hefty prison sentence. A victim of an officers bad choice , I hope this new Police Chief in Dallas can get this area under control a bit.

Maybe she had a problem with him. Past disagreements over noise or parking or somesuch?

 

[Jennifer17]

Maybe she had a problem with him. Past disagreements over noise or parking or somesuch?

Something like that.

 

[sloane7777]

DPD, just shot a man getting in his own truck a few months ago he is suing I believe or has settled , but hes still in a wheelchair. I think they are too jumpy JMO

 

[sloane7777]

Anyone would know immediately that they were in the wrong home as soon as they walked through the door, unless they were either drunk or high on drugs. I don't buy her story. There has got to be more to it than that. If this was one of her neighbors I bet she had some kind of dispute with him and shot him out of anger, now she is coming up with this weak excuse to try and wriggle out of it.

thank you I hope they have merged threads , I made my opinion known on the other one!

 

[bwt42]

https://www.apartmentratings.com/tx/dallas/south-side-on-lamar_214428484875215/#floorplans
I can see you walk into a long hallway / Foyer in some of them .... but Still , it appears as if you would give a bit of a warning or surely he said what are you doing here? was she drinking? this is not a mistake I could accept if it was one of my family , I have a feeling DPD is going to have to come off some serious cash on this one !!

Would DPD be liable for off duty conduct?

 

[Tugela]

Would DPD be liable for off duty conduct?

No.

 

[musicaljoke]

What a sad situation. A precious life is lost, and a needed public service and promising career is down the toilet.

 

[Tbone144]

I will admit that I have mistakenly tried to open a neighbour's door with my key. I was very, very tired and got out of the elevator on the wrong floor. I panicked, thinking someone had messed with my lock, then twigged what I'd done. I was mortified. However, had the door opened, I would have known immediately that I was in the wrong place. Different flooring, different smell, something would tell me before I set foot inside.

Trying to find msm article but this seems pretty accurate. An awful story all around. She’s been charged.

Dallas officer who shot, killed man in wrong apartment to be charged

Dallas officer who shot, killed man in wrong apartment to be charged

(Via KHOU 11)

 

[sloane7777]

Would DPD be liable for off duty conduct?

I'm not sure , I guess if it was her service weapon and she was still in uniform , YES if she is under some kind of influence.

 

[jjenny]

How did she get in?? Would you not use a key? I guess this poor man did not have his front door locked. I truly think the officer was impaired in some way whether alcohol,drugs, or extremely fatigued. No excuse for shooting!

From what has been reported, she tried to use a key, he then opened the door (presumably he heard her trying to use the keys) and then she shot him at some point thereafter.

 

[jjenny]

I have no idea but it defies logic that you would enter an apartment thinking it is your own then pull your gun out, and shoot a person. She had gun, she could have told him to put his hands against the wall until she figured out that she was in the wrong apartment.

I believe the story itself. If she was not paying attention it's not hard to believe she tried to open the wrong apartment.
It doesn't justify her shooting him, however. He was in his home doing nothing wrong.

 

[mickey2942]

Maybe she had a problem with him. Past disagreements over noise or parking or somesuch?

Oh, she is going down. It is now a racial issue, white officer shoots black man.

 

[scarlettbones]

This is just baffling. How did she get into the apartment? How are the apartments laid out and how far away is hers? Wouldn't be surprised if they knew each other, moo.

 

[Rocco]

Would DPD be liable for off duty conduct?

She probably used her PD issued fire arm, so I would think they would have some liability. Also, there must have been some communication between the 2 before she shot him. She was still in uniform, I assume. Was her tone that of a tenant speaking person to person or more like "Do what I say, I'm a police officer."

IMO it doesn't matter what he said or did (not that we'll ever know since he can't tell his side), it was his home and she had no right to be in it.

I'm glad she's facing charges and I hope she's convicted and pays for what she did. "I made a mistake" just isn't going to fly here.

 

[wary]

Would DPD be liable for off duty conduct?

Is a police officer required to carry a weapon, off duty?

 

[Tbone144]

Is a police officer required to carry a weapon, off duty?

My neighbor is TX county sheriff. He has his patrol car at home and leaves fully equipped when he’s on duty. Not sure if Dallas operates the same way.