Texas police officer who fatally shot teen arrested on murder charge

May 6 (UPI) — The police officer who fatally shot a black teenager in suburban Dallas last week was arrested on a murder charge Friday night.

Former Balch Springs Officer Roy Oliver, 37, turned himself in to Parker County Jail and was released at 10 p.m. after posting his bail, which was set at $300,000.

Oliver was fired on Tuesday for the fatal shooting that occurred April 29 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

“The warrant was issued due to evidence that suggested Mr. Oliver intended to cause serious bodily injury and commit an act clearly dangerous to human life that caused the death of an individual,” Dallas County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, Melinda Urbina, told CNN.

Oliver killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards by shooting him in the head through the passenger’s side window after responding to a report of drunken teenagers walking around a neighborhood.

The original account of the shooting said officers opened fire after they heard gunshots and a car backed down the street toward them “in an aggressive manner.”

Police Chief Jonathan Haber reversed the account after seeing body camera footage and said the car full of teens was driving away from officers when they fired their weapons.

Lee Merritt, an attorney for the family, said they were “grateful” investigators pursued a murder charge.

“I think it begins to at least give the appearance that the state is not going to sweep this clear wrong under the rug as it’s done in the past,” Merritt said. “However we also have to learn from history that we don’t have a conviction yet. And so we still have some ways to go.”

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