DPD release video, new details in shooting of officer

Dallas police provided new details and video footage on Monday regarding a shooting incident that left one of their officers injured.

According to authorities, the incident occurred around 12:45 a.m. on March 14, when officers operating covertly near Biglow Drive observed a blue Chevy Camaro being driven recklessly.

An officer in an unmarked vehicle began following the Camaro.

Video footage released by the Dallas Police Department depicts the Camaro making a U-turn in the 3200 block of Easter Avenue, with gunfire erupting as it passes the approaching officer.

Police stated that the driver of the Camaro fired five rounds at the unmarked vehicle, striking it twice. One of the rounds penetrated the driver’s door, injuring the officer in the hip. The injured officer did not return fire and was swiftly transported to the hospital for surgery.

The pursuit concluded at an apartment complex in the 7200 block of Chesterfield Avenue.

Dashcam footage shows the driver exiting the vehicle with a firearm in hand. Following a foot chase, the driver, identified as 17-year-old Jaheart Nickleberry, was apprehended.

Police Chief Eddie Garcia revealed that Nickleberry is a documented gang member and that the Chevy Camaro had been reported stolen.

“We are fortunate that we did not lose a Dallas officer that day,” Garcia stated. “Regardless of whether Nickleberry knew that a Dallas police officer was in that vehicle or not, he fired into an occupied vehicle, displaying a complete disregard for human life. This is the type of crime that our officers strive to prevent every day, working to apprehend violent criminals like Nickleberry and make our streets safer.”

Nickleberry faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault and evading arrest.

Garcia further disclosed that Nickleberry was linked to an aggravated robbery earlier that night in the 3500 block of Cripple Creek and a home invasion that resulted in an officer-involved shooting in Glenn Heights.

Five other teenagers were present in the stolen Camaro during the shooting. One male passenger remains unidentified and at large, while a 15-year-old female was apprehended after a foot chase. The remaining three teenagers in the vehicle were not charged.

Three firearms were recovered during the investigation, with one found inside the vehicle, another at the apartment complex, and a third discarded from the vehicle during the pursuit on I-20 and Wheatland Road. Investigators determined that the third firearm had been reported stolen from Shreveport, Louisiana.

The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.

Regarding the injured officer, Garcia reported that the 4-year veteran of the department is currently hospitalized but in good spirits.

“His resilience and positive attitude are truly remarkable,” Garcia remarked.