A Denton police officer killed a man with gunfire Sunday afternoon during a welfare check at a pickleball court.
The shooting occurred at 12:10 p.m. after dispatchers fielded 911 calls about an adult male who seemed intoxicated at the courts in the 1100 block of Riney Road, police said.
Officers arrived to find the man on the north side of the Denton Tennis and Pickleball Center. He had climbed a fence while gripping a metal rod and told officers they would “have to kill him,” according to authorities. He also threatened them with the rod, Denton police stated.
After verbal de-escalation efforts, the man descended the fence and rushed the officers, still clutching the rod. One officer fired a Taser, which had no effect. A second officer then shot him multiple times.
Officers provided immediate aid, and paramedics transported the man to a hospital, where he died.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the man’s name after notifying relatives. No officers or bystanders suffered injuries.
Department policy placed the shooting officer on administrative leave. Denton police have launched an internal probe, while the Texas Rangers are leading the criminal investigation.
