Garland police shoot, kill knife-wielding suspect

GARLAND, Texas - Two Garland police officers shot and killed a knife-wielding suspect who advanced towards them at an apartment complex Friday night.

Police said at 10:30 p.m., they responded to reports of a man with two machetes, slashing tires, and stabbing the hoods of cars at an apartment complex in the 200 block of E. I-30.

When officers arrived on scene, they found the man, later identified as 52-year-old Jason Xavier Salas, with two large knives.

According to police, officers gave Salas loud directions to drop the knives, but the commands were ignored.

David Sutton was about to let his dog out, when he heard police yelling commands at the suspect.

“Then the police said, ‘You've got to stop, you can't. You've got to drop the knife, drop the knife,’” Sutton said. “They're hollering louder and louder, ‘Roll away from the knife.’”

The suspect advanced towards the two officers, before being shot.

“Just as we're getting ready to open the door, I hear bang, bang, bang,” Sutton recalled.

Salas was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The 13-year and 3-year veteran officers who shot the suspect will be placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.

Neighbors said they heard police officers yelling several commands at the man before he was killed.

“What got me up was the gunfire, it was rapid gunfire at my window,” Maria Larsen said.

Larsen was in bed Friday night, when she heard what sounded like a couple arguing.

“I guess the guy who was causing the problems was asking, ‘What car is yours? What car is yours? I don't know, I'm just trying to get to my car.’ I thought he was just drunk,” Larsen said.

Police haven't said how many cars were vandalized, but neighbors saw three or four cars with damage, and one of the cars that was vandalized was Larsen's.

“He stabbed my hood, apparently a couple times,” she said. “It didn't penetrate the metal per se, but of course there's dents and scratches and stuff from where he was trying to. And then my tire was slit.”

Police are still investigating to see why the man was there and how he got the weapons.

It's unclear if Salas was a resident of the complex or visiting someone.