On March 8, 2024, at about 8:50 p.m., a police officer in Paris, Texas, answered to the Atwoods Store at 2445 North Main Street. This was in regards to a suspicious male who had been in a dressing room for more than 30 minutes. He would not come out when store workers called for him as they were closing for the night.
Later, an officer convinced Antonio Sessions, 44, of Greenville, to come out of the dressing room. As the officer tried to detain Sessions to question him, he broke free and fled toward the store’s main exit. The officer went after Sessions and was able to briefly subdue him.
When the officer tried again to detain Sessions, he resisted arrest, and a physical struggle ensued. Then, Sessions was able to get a hold of the officer’s Taser. Sessions fled a short distance inside the store, prior to turning and pointing the Taser at the officer, putting the officer in immediate danger.
The officer then quickly fired his duty weapon and struck Sessions in the chest. Officers and Lamar County deputies administered life-saving measures until EMTs could get on the scene.
Eventually, Sessions was taken to Paris Regional Health by ambulance where he later died from his wounds.
Sessions, who was a convicted felon, had been wanted out of Rockwall County for Assault on a Public Servant, Resisting Arrest, and drug offenses.
The Texas Rangers were called and answered to the scene to take over the post-shooting investigation.
The officer involved in the shooting has been put on administrative paid leave, pending an internal administrative review of the occurrence.
