Arlington police release dash and body camera video from Vandergriff Honda shooting
ARLINGTON, Texas - The Arlington Police Department released new dash and body camera video from a car dealership shooting.
Police said former sales employee Abbas Al-Mutairy had a rifle and started shooting outside Vandergriff Honda late last month.
Security cameras captured images of the 25-year-old when he briefly entered the sales showroom and the service bay area before police arrived.
"Based on everything I’ve seen, this, it could have been much different, it could’ve had a more horrific outcome," said Arlington police chief Al Jones on Monday.
Jones gave his initial assessment of the department's response and addressed some commands officers can be heard saying on the video.
"Guys, do not let him break, somebody needs to take a shot. Where is he? Now he’s going to run, where is he?" officers can be heard saying in the video.
"Pretty much we had a perimeter, and we didn’t want him to start making his way through the city of Arlington holding a rifle and whatever we already knew he fired some rounds," Jones said.
In another moment, officers lose sight of Al-Mutairy.
"Where is he in the parking lot? Guys, he’s pointing the rifle at us, we need to take a shot!" an officer is heard saying.
Video previously obtained by FOX 4 from a neighboring dealership shows him running through the parking lot with his gun. Gunshots can be heard in the video.
When police arrived, they found the 25-year-old former dealership employee in the parking lot still shooting.
Dash camera video provides the clearest overview of what happened next.
Several officers can be seen approaching the parking lot with their weapons drawn.
"He's got a rifle," an officer says.
The video shows the officers taking cover behind a vehicle as gunshots ring out.
Three officers fired shots critically-injuring the suspect.
Only two minutes passed from the time officers arrived to the moment they took down the shooter.
There were customers and employees at the dealership at the time but no one was hurt besides Al-Mutairy.
"I truly believe this incident could have ended much differently and more tragically than it did," Chief Jones said. "I’m extremely relieved it did not. I’m also incredibly grateful that no officers or innocent bystanders were injured."
Al-Mutairy is now charged with three counts of aggravated assault against a public servant, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and deadly conduct.
Police haven't been able to interview him yet because he is still in the hospital in critical condition. So, they are still not sure what his motive was.
Chief Jones would not speculate on a motive and would not share specific details about why Al-Mutairy was terminated.
Two investigations are underway: One looking into the suspect's actions and possible motive, and a review of the officers' actions to stop him.
They are also working with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine where the rifle came from.
Vandergriff Honda reopened four days after the shooting because the sprinkler system went off during the chaos and caused some water damage.