Texas officer fatally shoots male, 18, who police say produced handgun amid assault of victim who was motionless on ground

A Corpus Christi, Texas, police officer fatally shot an 18-year-old male early Sunday morning who police said produced a handgun amid the assault of a male victim who was motionless on the ground.

Police said officers were dispatched just after 1:30 a.m. to an assault in progress at the Ranch Dance Hall in the 4000 block of Everhart Road.

'We understand that there has been another shooting of a black man by CCPD.'

Police said call notes indicated the male assault victim was on the ground and not moving.

Police said arriving officers saw an assault taking place on the side of a building on the corner of Everhart Road and Burney Drive — and that the suspect produced a handgun while over the victim on the ground.

One of the officers of the two-man unit fired his gun and hit the 18-year-old male suspect who was taken to a hospital where he died, police said.

The assault victim also was taken to a hospital for his injuries, police said.

Police said the the officer involved wasn't injured and will be placed on administrative leave.

Police added that those with information about the incident can call detectives at 361-886-2840 or make an anonymous call to CrimeStoppers at 361-888-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online.

The Nueces County Medical Examiner has identified the 18-year-old who was killed as Dwayne Earl Johnson, the Corpus Christi Caller Times reported.

Leaders of the NAACP's H. Boyd Hall Chapter held a press conference Monday morning over the police-involved shooting, the Caller Times said, adding that the organization noted in a press release that “we understand that there has been another shooting of a black man by CCPD. We have been in touch with the chief and have requested a thorough and independent investigation to ensure the truth of what happened is ultimately discovered."

How are observers reacting?

Well over 200 comments have appeared underneath the Corpus Christi Police Department's Facebook post about the shooting, and they appear decidedly mixed; some support the officer's actions while others have questions. Here are a couple that reflect the breakdown:

• "Was the gun pointed at the cop?" one commenter wondered. "Did he try to get the kid to put the gun down first, or did he just shoot? So many questions.... I think police like to shoot first and ask questions later."
• "If someone points a gun at an officer it's called self defense; if someone points a gun at someone else it's called self defense in the third person," another commenter said. "Police serve and protect. Reading what they advise in this news segment the victim was on the ground defenseless, and the suspect pulled a gun out toward victim who could not defend himself, and officers protected the victim by using deadly force to match deadly force."

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