Texas police officer who fired rifle at car full of fleeing teenagers will face murder charges

A Dallas County, Texas, grand jury has decided that the police officer who fired a rifle at a car full of teenagers in April, fatally wounding one of them, will face murder charges.

Balch Springs Police Officer Roy Oliver was indicted Monday on one count of murder and four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a public servant for the shooting death of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards after Oliver shot a rifle at a car driving away from a house party, striking Edwards in the head and killing him.

Oliver, 31, and several other officers were called to the scene in late April after neighbors called police about a loud house party in the neighborhood, stating that they were worried about underage drinking because of the teens they could see coming in and out of the residence.

After Oliver and the other officers approached the scene and began to investigate, a group of teens began to flee the area. Edwards, a high school freshman, and some of his friends all piled into a car being driven by Edwards' older brother and began to drive away when Oliver shot at the vehicle, killing Edwards.

Balch Springs Police Chief Jonathan Haber originally told reporters in May that the car drove "aggressively" toward Oliver and another officer, but later said he misspoke. Body camera footage showed the car driving away from the scene and away from the officers when Oliver fired the shots into the vehicle. Oliver was later terminated from the force.

Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson told reporters justice would continue to be served throughout the upcoming trial.

"It is important to let our community know that justice is proceeding effectively and thoroughly at the Dallas County DA's Office," she said, according to KDFW-TV. "This is the very first time we have issued an arrest warrant for a police officer before the case was presented to a grand jury. As we move forward, my office continues to be committed to seeking justice for Jordan and his family. You have my personal guarantee that we will prosecute this case vigorously."

Oliver was also indicted at the end of June on two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant for an unrelated incident that took place just two weeks before Edwards was killed, when Oliver allegedly pulled a gun on a woman who rear-ended his vehicle while he was off duty.