On Christmas Eve, a convicted male sex offender was arrested for allegedly taking photos of women in a local public restroom while dressed as a woman and later brandishing a weapon.
The incident began in a women’s restroom at Hulen Mall in Fort Worth when a woman reportedly noticed that an individual in the stall next to her was invading her privacy.
“While she was using the restroom, she observed what she believed to be a cell phone coming from underneath the stall,” Fort Worth policeman Joshua Johnson stated.
The woman then quickly exited the stall and confronted the individual in the stall next to her. A chase began as the suspect, later reportedly identified as 45-year-old Douglas Egan, fled the scene.
The victim said Egan was dressed like a woman.
When the chase spilled outside the mall, another man attempted to help the woman stop the suspect.
“At that point, the suspect pulled out and presented what appeared to be a gun,” said Johnson. “He pulled it from a backpack which he was carrying and pointed it at that first witness and then continued to flee.”
While other individuals in the parking lot gathered around the scene, Egan reportedly began changing out of women’s clothing and into men’s clothing.
Egan allegedly fled the scene and was later arrested at a nearby apartment complex.
“Thank you to the good Samaritans for [stepping] up, who saw a confrontation they deemed to be inappropriate and just got involved. It takes the community getting involved to protect us,” continued Officer Johnson.
The weapon Egan allegedly brandished during the incident turned out to be a pepper ball gun, which produces less-than-lethal rounds and is typically utilized for self-defense.
Egan has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and improper photo/video in a bathroom.
This is not his first run-in with law enforcement. Egan is currently registered as a “high risk” sex offender, stemming from a conviction for felony indecency with a child by exposure in Dallas County and numerous misdemeanors for indecent exposure.
A review of his sex offender records shows that all of his victims have been female, with one as young as 16.
According to reports, Egan served seven years in prison for his felony conviction and was released earlier this year.
“It’s extremely unfortunate that someone would take advantage of an individual just as they’re using the restroom for their own personal gains,” Johnson said.
Egan is being held at the Lon Evans Corrections Center in Fort Worth on a $30,000 bond, with a court appearance scheduled for January 3.