Amber Guyger sacked: Off-duty cop who shot black neighbour dead inside his own apartment is dismissed

Botham Jean, pictured at Harding University in 2014, and Amber Guyger, who has been convicted with his murder
AP/Harding University/KCSO
Ben Morgan|Nick Charity25 September 2018

A white off-duty police officer who fatally shot her black neighbour dead inside his own apartment has been sacked.

Amber Guyger, 30, was dismissed yesterday from Dallas Police Department, three weeks after being charged with manslaughter over the shooting of 26-year-old Botham Shem Jean. He died on September 6.

Guyger claims she opened fire after walking into what she believed was her own flat and seeing what she thought was a burglar.

She is currently on bail.

Mourners attended a public viewing before the funeral of Botham Shem Jean at the Greenville Avenue Church of Christ, September 13.
AP/Shaban Athuman

Lawyers for Jean’s family described the dismissal as a initial victory, but added: “We are committed to seeing through the next steps of the process of a proper murder indictment.”

A police statement said an internal investigation concluded Guyger, “engaged in adverse conduct when she was arrested for manslaughter."

South Side Flats, in Lamar Street, Dallas, where the shooting took place on Thursday.
AP/Ryan Tarinelli

Robert Rogers, who represents the fired officer, said the sacking was premature.

Footage from police showed Dallas police Officer Amber Guyger being booked at the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office after turning herself in.
AP

Describing the incident as a “tragic mistake”, he added that Police Chief U. Renee Hall had “bowed to pressure from anti-police groups and took action before all of the facts had been gathered and due process afforded.”

Prior to Guyger being let go, protesters marched outside an NFL football game against the killings of two black men in Arlington Texas. As well as Botham Jean, O'Shae Terry was fatally shot by police earlier this month. They called for Amber Guyger to be fired.
AP

Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson has said the case will be presented to a grand jury. Mr Jean’s funeral took place yesterday in St Lucia.

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