Dallas cop who entered wrong apartment and killed man who lived there has finally been terminated

Nearly three weeks after Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger entered the apartment of Botham Shem Jean and gunned down the 26-year-old man, the Dallas Police Department has finally terminated the disgraced officer.

What are the details?

The Dallas Police Department said in a statement that Guyger was fired after an internal investigation concluded she had engaged in "adverse conduct." She was charged with manslaughter three days after she killed Jean.

However, for many, the decision is nearly three weeks too late, eroding an already tumultuous relationship between law enforcement and vulnerable communities that have been disproportionally impacted in police shootings. Guyger was placed on administrative leave immediately after the shooting, but such discipline was not adequate when weighed with her actions, critics said.

Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall said last week that she couldn't terminate Guyger before internal affairs concluded its investigation. She also said that she didn't want to distract the criminal investigation with matters concerning Guyger's employment, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Guyger maintains she shot Jean on Sept. 6 after mistakenly entering his apartment, which was directly above hers. She was returning home from a 15-hour shift with the Dallas Police Department.

Upon entering Jean's apartment, Guyger mistook him for a burglar, gave "verbal commands" that she claims Jean "ignored," then drew her service weapon and fired two shots. One shot hit Jean in the chest, killing him.

It remains unclear how exactly Guyger mistook Jean's apartment for hers or why she so quickly chose lethal force to confront a person she believed was a burglar. Attorneys representing Jean's family allege independent witnesses heard banging in the hallway before Guyger shot Jean, which would undermine Guyger's claim that she mistakenly entered the wrong apartment.

What's next for Guyger?

The Dallas Police Department said she will have the opportunity to appeal her termination.

She was released on bail the same night she was apprehended. Her attorneys have said she has been in hiding since.

It's not yet clear when Guyger's case will head to trial.