Bedford officer shoots suspect who threatened him after traffic stop, police say

A Bedford officer shot a suspect who threatened to hurt him after a traffic stop early Wednesday morning, police said.

About 2 a.m., the officer tried to make a traffic stop, but the driver fled. The driver hit a curb “after a very, very short pursuit,” the airbags deployed, and the vehicle was inoperable, Sgt. Ty Stillman said.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the traffic stop was in the 1600 block of Wade Drive, and the suspect crashed less than a mile away in the 1000 block of Circle Lane.

After the crash, the suspect got out of his vehicle and approached the officer, telling the officer he had a weapon, Stillman said.

The officer retreated, and “ultimately, the suspect continued to approach the officer saying that he was going to harm him,” Stillman said.

The officer shot the suspect in the leg. The suspect then ran about 20 yards before the officer took him in to custody, Stillman said.

Police did not release the name of the suspect or of the officer, who police said broke his arm in a scuffle with the suspect.

Both were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not expected to be life threatening.

Stillman said the suspect would be charged with evading arrest with a vehicle once he is released.

The Texas Rangers will investigate the shooting, and the officer will be placed on routine administrative leave, he said.