More information is coming out of Mesquite after police shot and killed a 64-year-old man after a six-hour standoff that lasted until nearly 4 a.m.
Jamie Reyes was shot after he allegedly exited his residence with a shotgun and pointed it at the officers, according to a news release on the department’s Facebook page.
According to officials, the incident took place at about 10 p.m. last Friday in the 3700 block of Nabholtz Lane in Mesquite, where police responded to a call about a person with a gun in the street. The person was apparently pointing the weapon at others in the area, according to the release.
As they approached the scene, officers learned the man had returned to his home. When they arrived, police reported hearing what they believed to be gunshots coming from the home.
At that point, police requested the assistance of the Mesquite Police Tactical Team. The team and crisis negotiators spent approximately the next five hours attempting to resolve the incident by making contact with anyone inside the house using a loudspeaker.
It was in vain.
“At 3:43 a.m., the suspect exited the front door of the residence armed with a shotgun,” the release claimed. “The suspect pointed the weapon at officers, at which time one tactical team member fired two rounds, striking the suspect.”
Stacey Marks Edwards, who claimed to be Reyes’ neighbor, supported the Mesquite Police Department’s actions via a comment on its Facebook page.
“The man killed was my neighbor,” her post read. “He lived in his elderly father’s house on our street. They’ve lived here for about 20 years. Never had problems here until recently, with new people moving in who don’t respect the neighbors or neighborhood. Very sad situation.
“The police had no choice. They [100%] did what they had to do. The man who lost his life had never been a problem in the neighborhood before in 20 years.”
According to FOX 4 News, police said the officer who shot Reyes is a nine-year veteran of the Mesquite police force.
Police performed lifesaving measures on Reyes before he was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the release said.
No other individuals, civilians, or police were hurt.
Violent encounters such as what happened in Mesquite have become more common in North Texas as of late, especially in Dallas, where City leaders have been unable to keep the murder rate down. As of Wednesday, April 26, 93 people have been murdered this year, 17 more than in 2022, year to date, according to a report by the Dallas Police Department.
