Texas Tech student, Hollis Daniels, 19, fatally shoots officer after campus police find drugs in his room
Student fatally shot police officer at Texas Tech University campus, Lubbock, Texas, Monday
Hollis Daniels killed the officer Floyd East Jr after campus police cops found drugs in his dorm room
Campus police conducting a student welfare check found drugs and drug paraphernalia in the suspect’s room
Communications Arts major, 19-year-old Daniels from Seguin, Texas, grabbed the booking officer’s gun and shot him in the head before fleeing campus police headquarters on foot
He was captured near the campus after a two hour search
He was charged with capital murder of a peace officer, Tuesday
Texas Tech freshman, Hollis Daniels has been arrested and charged with capital murder after fatally shooting a police officer in Lubbock, Tex., Oct 19
A student at Texas Tech University is accused of shooting dead a campus police officer on Monday night after drugs were found in his room, a school official said.
The 19-year-old freshman, Hollis Daniels, was captured near the Lubbock, Texas, campus after evading police for almost two hours, briefly sending the school into lockdown. He was formally charged with capital murder of a peace officer early Tuesday.
Campus police were conducting a student welfare check earlier Monday when they found drugs and drug paraphernalia in the suspect’s room, according to the school’s spokesperson Chris Cook.
After Daniels was taken into custody and transported to the Texas Tech University Police headquarters. Officer Floyd East Jr. was in the process of completing the booking paperwork for Daniels’ arrest when he was shot in the head.
Daniels was not cuffed when he grabbed the booking officer’s gun and shot him
A second officer at the scene said East was completing paperwork at a computer in a briefing room as Daniels reportedly faced the opposite direction of East, slightly offset from one another.
The second officer reportedly had left the room when he heard a “loud bang.” When he returned to the briefing room, East had been mortally wounded, with an apparent gunshot wound.
“A .45-caliber RP shell casing was located near Officer East,” the report states. “[The secondary officer on scene] also advised Officer East’s police body camera was missing and Officer East’s pistol was in his holster, ” a police report stated.
Daniels had not been handcuffed,police said.
Campus police activity at the crime scene on the Texas Tech University campus, Lubbock, Texas, Monday
Texas Tech issued an emergency notification, warning students and faculty to take shelter while Daniels was still at large.
A SWAT team arrived at the scene and Lubbock police assisted in the search for Daniels, which ended when a Texas Tech officer tackled him around 9.30 p.m.
The lockdown was lifted shortly after his arrest.
At the scene where Daniels was captured, the police body camera and the .45-caliber pistol loaded with RP ammunition were discovered.
Officers who apprehended the fugitive noted that “Hollis Daniels then stated that he was the one that shot their friend”.
Once in custody, Daniels reportedly told police he “did something illogical.”
The 19-year-old freshman from Seguin, Texas, was a Communications Arts, major.
Daniels was previously arrested by Texas Tech PD in September 2016 on possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is set at $5 million.
Texas Senator, Ted Cruz tweeted, “Heidi & I are praying for all those on @TexasTech’s campus this evening. Please be safe and heed warnings from campus officials.”
Gov. Greg Abbott said, “First and foremost, our hearts go out to the family of the police officer killed at Texas Tech University…
“As the Texas Tech campus deals with this heartbreaking tragedy, Cecilia and I pray for the continued safety of the students and the entire community,” he added.
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