Bodycam Video Shows Fatal El Paso Police Shooting At Car Wash

 El Paso, Texas — March 5, 2024

On the early morning of March 5, 2024, at approximately 1:08 a.m., an officer with the El Paso Police Department approached a vehicle parked at a carwash located in the 5800 block of Donaphin Drive. The officer had been patrolling the area when he noticed the vehicle, which was occupied by a male subject seated in the driver’s seat. Upon approach, the officer made contact with the driver, later identified as 30-year-old Micheal Estrada. Estrada, who appeared frustrated, quickly identified himself to the officer and explained that he was experiencing car trouble.

In the interaction that followed, Estrada revealed that he was living in his car, which raised concerns for the officer about the individual’s situation. When the officer asked Estrada for identification, Estrada complied and verbally acknowledged his difficulties. However, as the conversation progressed, the officer requested Estrada to exit the vehicle several times. Despite the repeated requests, Estrada remained seated in the driver’s seat, visibly frustrated and uncooperative with the officer’s commands.

The situation began to escalate when Estrada informed the officer that he had a gun on his person. This alarming statement raised the stakes of the encounter, prompting the officer to further instruct Estrada to show his hands and remain calm. The officer can be heard on the video, continuing to issue commands for Estrada to comply and de-escalate the situation. However, Estrada’s responses became more erratic, and he continued to make threats toward the officer, which heightened the perceived threat.

At this point, the situation had clearly deteriorated, and the officer felt that his safety was in jeopardy. Estrada’s refusal to follow commands and the threat of a weapon prompted the officer to act. According to the video footage from the officer’s body camera, the officer fired his weapon several times in rapid succession. The gunshots were followed by the officer’s radio transmission, in which he reported the use of deadly force, stating, “shots fired,” and calling for emergency backup and medical assistance.

El Paso Fire Department personnel and emergency medical services (EMS) arrived shortly thereafter. Despite their swift response and efforts to provide medical care, Estrada was pronounced deceased at the scene. The officer involved in the incident immediately secured the area, and additional units arrived to assist with the investigation and scene management.

An important aspect of the ongoing investigation is whether Estrada was indeed carrying a firearm, as he had claimed. At the time of the incident, no handgun was visibly present on the video footage, and whether Estrada was armed remains a critical point in the inquiry. This aspect of the investigation is currently under review by the El Paso Police Department and the local district attorney’s office to determine the facts surrounding the presence of a firearm, if any, and whether the officer’s actions were justified under the circumstances.

As part of standard procedure, the officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation. The El Paso Police Department is working with the Texas Rangers and other relevant authorities to conduct a thorough review of the incident. This review will include the analysis of all available evidence, including video footage, witness statements, and forensic reports, to ensure a full understanding of the events that transpired.

The department has pledged transparency in the investigation and has committed to providing updates to the public as more details become available. They emphasized the importance of thorough and impartial investigations into officer-involved shootings, particularly those involving potentially deadly force.

In the meantime, the El Paso Police Department is cooperating fully with the ongoing inquiry, which is expected to take several weeks. As of the latest report, the name of the officer involved has not been publicly released, as the investigation continues.




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