A campus police officer at the University of North Texas has shot a student who allegedly carried out a threat toward the police using an ax and was also accused of destroying windows at a parking garage in Denton on Sunday.
The UNT student was identified as Ryan McMillan, 21, from Fort Worth. The incident began at around 12:30 a.m. between Fry Street and Oak Street near the university's U Centre Apartment.
The campus police responded to the scene where McMillan was smashing windows because the Denton Police had other matters at hand. The UNT police officer said that when he arrived, McMillan was still holding on to his ax, so he ordered him to drop the weapon. The student refused to do so, and ran towards the street. The UNT police fired towards the student four to five times, according to witnesses, the Associated Press reported.
We just received raw video of the suspect from last night. pic.twitter.com/Dxy8iN2vnr
— North Texas Daily (@ntdaily) December 13, 2015
McMillan was rushed to the Denton Regional Medical Center where he eventually passed away.
"This is a tragic day for our university family," UNT President Neal Smatresk said, according to CNBS DFW. "We offer our condolences to the individuals, their families and all involved."
The Texas-Rangers are assisting in the investigation.
"The officer will be placed on administrative duty, pending the outcome of the investigation," Smatresk, UNT President, added, according to CBS News. "According to UNT Police Chief Ed Reynolds, our police department is cooperating fully in the investigations being conducted by the Texas Rangers and the Denton Police Department."
Matthew McDermott, McMillan's childhood friend, said they don't agree that he was out to harm others. He was known as "Charlie Brown" to his friends because he was shy and sweet but was occasionally funny.
"I can't really put into words how I feel about the fact that one of the nicest people I ever met was shot because an officer felt threatened," McDermott said, according to The Dallas Morning News. "I want to drive to Denton and scream at the top of my lungs at the police department, but that's stupid and irrational. But it just really angers me."
