Accusations that a man took unwanted pictures of a woman inside a North Texas gym escalated into a fatal police shooting.
Officers were called just before 8 p.m. on Thursday to an LA Fitness at North Josey Lane and East Frankford Road after complaints about a man’s behavior, police said. Gym management confronted the man, identified as 71-year-old William Michael Burns, and asked him to leave.
Management later requested that Carrollton police issue a criminal trespass warning to Burns.
Officers went to Burns’ home to follow up and knocked on the door, identifying themselves as police multiple times, the department said. Burns did not answer, though officers could see him moving inside.
Burns then came outside holding a handgun, police said. Officers ordered him to drop the weapon, but he pointed it at them, prompting officers to shoot him.
Officers “immediately rendered life-saving measures,” but Burns was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, police said in a Facebook statement.
The Public Integrity Unit of the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the January 22 shooting along with the Carrollton Police Department. The officers involved were placed on administrative leave.
