Dec. 1 (UPI) — A grand jury on Friday indicted a former Dallas police officer, who fatally shot an unarmed man after she entered the wrong apartment, on a murder charge.
Police arrested Amber Guyger, 30, on a manslaughter charge after the Sept. 6 shooting death of Botham Jean, 26. The grand jury began hearing the case Monday.
Guyger was off duty at the time of the shooting but was wearing her uniform when she entered Jean’s apartment. She told police she thought she was in her own apartment.
Police said Guyger had just finished a 15-hour shift and got off the elevator on the fourth floor, instead of the third floor, where she lived. She then opened the door to Jean’s apartment, which was unlocked. The lights were off inside and when she saw a man’s figure, she thought her apartment was being robbed and opened fire. When she turned on the lights, she realized she went into the wrong apartment and killed a man in his own home, police said.
The Dallas Police Department fired Guyger Sept. 24 after facing criticism for keeping her on the force amid an investigation. She was released from jail on $300,000 bond.
Jean’s family also filed a lawsuit against the city of Dallas and the DPD, saying Guyger had a history of violence and excessive force.
