Denton Officer Cleared in Fatal February 2018 Shooting Following Grand Jury and Internal Reviews

 

Denton Officer Cleared in Fatal February 2018 Shooting Following Grand Jury and Internal Reviews

On May 3, 2018, the Denton County Grand Jury officially cleared a Denton Police Department officer involved in a fatal shooting that occurred on February 19, 2018. The officer, along with his trainee, had encountered a knife-wielding suspect during a routine patrol. Both the Grand Jury and an internal investigation conducted by the Denton Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards determined that the use of force was justified. The Texas Rangers also conducted a thorough investigation at the request of the police department, and their findings aligned with the final decision.

The incident took place in the 1700 block of Spencer Road in Denton, Texas. On the evening of February 19, Officer John Landolfo, a seven-year veteran of the Denton Police Department, was on duty alongside Officer Je’Ni Nelson, a trainee at the time. The officers were seated in their marked patrol Tahoe, parked in a lot along Spencer Road, when an unidentified male approached the rear of the vehicle and began shouting at them.

Concerned about the man's erratic behavior, both officers exited the patrol vehicle to investigate. Upon making contact, the man produced a knife and threatened the officers. After making the threat, the suspect began walking away toward a nearby wooded area. Fearing for the safety of the public, the officers followed the man at a safe distance while issuing verbal commands, repeatedly telling him to stop and drop the knife.

As the officers tracked the suspect several yards off the roadway into a densely wooded section, they temporarily lost sight of him. Moments later, the man reappeared, emerging from the brush with the knife in hand. According to the police report, he was swinging the weapon and quickly advancing toward the officers in an aggressive and threatening manner.

In an attempt to subdue the suspect without using lethal force, Officer Landolfo deployed his department-issued TASER X2, which has a dual-cartridge system. The first shot caused the suspect to fall to the ground. However, he quickly recovered and rose to his feet. Officer Landolfo then deployed the second TASER cartridge, but it failed to incapacitate the suspect.

As the man continued advancing toward the officers with the knife, Landolfo was forced to make a split-second decision. Dropping his TASER, he drew his sidearm and fired two shots, both of which struck the suspect in the upper body. The suspect collapsed at the scene.

Immediately following the shooting, paramedics were called to the area. Officers, including a backup unit that had arrived, rendered first aid using a trauma kit that had been carried into the wooded area. Despite their efforts, the Denton Fire Department determined the man was deceased upon their arrival. He was later identified as Lawrence Shaw.

The case triggered an immediate investigation by the Texas Rangers, who conducted interviews, reviewed body camera footage, and reconstructed the scene. Their report supported the officers’ account and found that Landolfo’s actions were consistent with law enforcement standards for responding to a deadly threat.

The Denton County Grand Jury reviewed the findings and reached the same conclusion, clearing Officer Landolfo of any wrongdoing. Simultaneously, an internal investigation by the Denton Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards verified that Officer Landolfo had followed department policies throughout the encounter.

Police Chief Frank Dixon emphasized the complexity and seriousness of officer-involved shootings and reaffirmed the department’s commitment to transparency and accountability. “This was a tragic situation,” Dixon said. “But based on the evidence and the threat posed to our officers and the public, the use of force was deemed necessary and within policy.”

The incident remains a somber reminder of the dangers officers face in the field and the difficult, often split-second decisions they must make to protect both themselves and the community.





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