Video Shows Texas Officer Fatally Shoot Suspect Stabbing Victim

May 19, 2017
Lufkin Police Officer Black Witherspoon shot and killed Epthen Johnson on March 1 as the man repeatedly stabbed a victim in the neck.

LUFKIN, Texas -- The Lufkin Police Department released body camera video this week of an officer-involved shooting after one of its officers was found justified in the incident

The case involving Officer Blake Witherspoon was presented to an Angelina County grand jury on Tuesday and resulted in a no-bill, according to The Lufkin Daily News.

A "no-bill" means the grand jury concluded the officer acted appropriately and that they saw no grounds to indict him on a criminal charge.

The six-year veteran of the force shot and killed aggravated assault suspect Epthen Johnson in the early morning hours of March 1 in the 400 block of Kurth Drive. Officials said dispatchers received a 911 call from a witness who saw Johnson attacking a man with a knife.

When Witherspoon arrived on the scene, he observed Johnson crouched on top of the man, stabbing and cutting at his head and neck. The officer commanded the suspect multiple times to show his hands, but Johnson did not acknowledge his commands and continued to stab man.

"Recognizing the signs of PCP intoxication, (Witherspoon) did not believe a Taser would be an effective tool in stopping Johnson's attack," a statement from the Lufkin Police Department reads.

Witherspoon fired three shots, but Johnson continued stabbing the man in the throat. The officer then fired a fourth shot, killing Johnson and ending the attack.

Johnson’s toxicology report confirmed that he was high on PCP and marijuana during the incident.

"It is clear to me in this circumstance that the grand jury was diligent and thoughtful and made the appropriate determination," Lufkin Police Chief Gerald Williamson said in a statement. "An officer's desire is always to save life and prevent injury, but a sad reality is that we sometimes have to take lethal action to preserve or protect the lives of others."

Per department policy, Witherspoon was reassigned to the criminal investigations division pending the grand jury's decision and will return to patrol next week.

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