Garland officers fatally shoot suspect who killed private investigator, police say

UPDATED JUNE 03, 2022 8:43 AM

Three Garland police officers are on paid administrative leave after firing shots at a suspect who was wanted on multiple counts of sexual assault of a child and killed a private investigator while being served his arrest warrant, police said Friday.

The suspect, Juan Carlos Lopez, 33, of Little Elm, was killed by responding officers Thursday night in a Garland motel in the 6200 block of Broadway Boulevard around 7:30 p.m.

Garland police said they were at the motel when private investigators approached Lopez and attempted to serve him an arrest warrant for multiple counts of sexual assault of a child.

The responding officers heard the sound of gunshots, and said that a private investigator was shot in one of the motel rooms.

“A team of Garland Officers entered the room to rescue the private investigator and encountered the armed suspect,” police said, adding that three officers fired at Lopez.

Lopez died from his injuries at the scene.

The private investigator was also taken to a nearby hospital, where he died. He has not been publicly identified yet.

The three officers involved in the shooting are being placed on paid administrative leave as is standard procedure while the incident is investigated by Garland detectives and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article262107182.html#storylink=topdigest_latest