Paris Police Department Releases Officer-Involved Shooting

One person was paralyzed during an officer-involved shooting in Paris, Texas, on June 1, 2021. Now, the city has publicized their version of what happened which entails a 20-minute video.

Paris Police Officer Derek Bristow’s body cam recording shows that he arrived that evening to a scene where a truck had rolled over. No one had been inside of the vehicle, but damage was done to someone else’s property.

Officers were able to find the driver, Colton Carico, at his home, down the road. His girlfriend first appears and lies to police about picking him up from the scene of the crash and seeing a white male who had been bleeding.

Carico eventually appears at the door. He denied driving his wrecked truck and said someone else had been operating it. Officers continously asked Carico to step outside to discuss the accident. They also wanted to conduct a field sobriety test, but he we wouldn’t comply.

When Carico finally came outside, he did so as he held a rifle. He then threatened to “blow his f—ing brains out.” He was commanded to drop the weapon, but he failed to do so.

Officers then shot Carico, citing that they were trying to protect themselves since Carico had a rifle. He had also put his girlfriend’s life in danger as she was standing right in his Carico’s line of fire, authorities say.

Carico was heard seemingly upset that he had been shot, saying that he never pointed the weapon at the officers.

Police say that the call wasn’t regarding a mental health issue as they say has been falsely spread online. They added that the family’s release of the recordings that night had been altered. The family has denied those claims.

After a full investigation, the Texas Rangers found the shooting to be justified. A Lamar County grand jury also cleared the officer involved of any wrongdoing.

The city has stated that the facts, theoir video, and laws uphold their case for the officers.