The police chief in Balch Springs, Tex., admitted Monday that a car full of teens was driving away from police when an officer armed with a rifle fatally shot a 15-year-old boy in the head, reports the Dallas Morning News. After reviewing body-cam footage, Police Chief Jonathan Haber reversed his initial account about Saturday’s deadly confrontation that the car was aggressively backing up toward the officer. Haber now says the car was fleeing the scene when the officer opened fire. “It did not meet our core values,” Haber said of his officer’s actions.
The victim was Jordan Edwards, a high school freshman described as a standout scholar and athlete. The medical examiner’s office ruled his death a homicide, though that doesn’t necessarily mean charges will be filed. The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department and the district attorney’s public-integrity unit are investigating the shooting. The officer, who has not been named, has been placed on administrative leave. The teen’s parents are asking for the officer to be arrested and charged.