Police issued new dashcam and body camera footage on Thursday regarding the fatal shooting of a man who fired at officers during a high-speed chase and standoff at a residence in Fort Worth last week.
The video shows Nicholas Sides, 36, fleeing in a red pickup truck after Lake Worth police attempted to stop him shortly before 4:30 p.m. on January 30, leading to a pursuit. The footage also captures the truck crashing into a backyard on the 5200 block of Buchanan Street in Sansom Park. “Shortly after his vehicle came to a halt, he got out and shot at our officers five times, with one bullet hitting the hood of a patrol car,” police reported. The video depicts officers attempting to negotiate with Sides while giving commands.
According to authorities, Sides ignored their instructions, reentered his vehicle with a gun aimed at his head, and drove past the officers. A second chase followed, ending at a home on the 1700 block of Skyline Drive in Fort Worth, where Sides barricaded himself inside, resulting in an extended standoff, as reported by law enforcement.
The Fort Worth Police Crisis Intervention Team and SWAT established a perimeter around the residence. The footage reveals officers negotiating with Sides and repeatedly telling him to “put the gun down.” At one point, fireworks were ignited both inside and outside the house.
Eventually, Sides emerged from the residence with a gun to his head and refused to follow police orders, according to officials. Fort Worth SWAT deployed 40mm less-lethal rounds, to which Sides responded by firing several shots at the officers. A Fort Worth SWAT officer then shot Sides in the torso. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No other individuals were harmed.
A press release indicated that two Fort Worth officers were placed on standard significant event leave but have since returned to duty. The involved Lake Worth officers participated in a “standard critical incident debrief” and have also resumed work. The FWPD Major Case Unit, Internal Affairs, and the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office are currently investigating the matter.
