Detective testifies in former Farmers Branch officer's murder trial

Witnesses described what surveillance video does not show from the night a former Farmers Branch police officer opened fire on two teens, killing one.

Ken Johnson was off-duty last year when he says he saw the boys breaking into cars. He resigned and is on trial for murder.

During Tuesday’s testimony, the jury heard from several witnesses to the shooting as well as a former Addison police detective who investigated the case.

Eric Aguilar, who now works cybersecurity for Bank of America, was a veteran detective with the Addison Police Department in March 2016. He says all of the evidence he reviewed, including surveillance video and forensics, indicate it took Johnson less than four seconds from the time he got out his SUV to open fire on Cruz's car, firing all 16 rounds in his gun.

Johnson’s defense is that he thought Cruz was reaching for a weapon.

Aguilar, who attended the police academy with Johnson, says the way the former officer reacted moments after the shooting doesn't match up with how police officers are trained to handle high-risk stops.

“We don’t turn our backs on suspects who are not secured. It’s just not safe,” Aguilar said. “If you’re in fear of something, you don’t turn your back on it. If there’s a legitimate fear — an active fear, you watch for it until it’s safe.”

Several witnesses also testified that they saw Johnson walk away from passenger Edgar Rodriguez, who was sitting in the grass near Cruz's open passenger-side door. None of the witnesses remember hearing Johnson say he thought they had a gun. The only thing one witness remembered Johnson saying was "they stole my rear seats.”

Johnson showed no emotion during the testimony. The case will continue Wednesday at 9 a.m.