‘It's a tragedy,' Dallas police release body camera video of fatal shooting involving officers

Dallas Police Department

Dallas Chief of Police Eddie Garcia released body camera video Monday of the moments leading up to a fatal shooting involving police officers.

Garcia said Monday afternoon that a woman called 911 and said a man with a knife and machete was hurting her and threatening her and a dog. In the call, the woman was heard asking for help, and she told police they were in a tent in a wooded area behind an apartment complex at 5850 Beltline Road.

When officers arrived at about 6:45 p.m., they walked through the woods to the encampment, where they found the man and woman in a large tent. The man, police said, was holding a knife and the woman said she was injured.

Garcia said the officers ordered the man, identified Monday as 34-year-old Cody Watkins, to drop the weapon and exit the tent, and he refused. After demanding that they exit the tent several more times, the woman walked out and was assisted away by officers.

Other officers continued to try to persuade Watkins to drop the knife and exit the tent, and Garcia said he continued to refuse.

In addition to talking to the man, Garcia said officers tried several non-lethal methods of getting him to surrender, including using a stun gun, pepper spray, and foam bullets, but none were effective.

After about 50 minutes of talking with the man, Garcia said Watkins shouted at officers, "Why don't you all just kill me then?" Garcia said Watkins then charged toward officers while still holding the knife.

Garcia said two officers fired at the man, hitting him at least once. The officers then provided first aid until paramedics with Dallas Fire-Rescue arrived to take him to the hospital. Watkins died at about 8:50 p.m., Garcia said.

"I think one of the dynamics is the individual was armed with a knife. The individual did not comply with the commands to back down. They tried utilizing talking him down. They utilized a Tazer, they utilized a less-lethal foam round on the individual and still nothing," Garcia said.

The chief released an edited video showing body camera video from several of the officers. In the video, police can be seen walking toward the encampment and then heard ordering both the man and woman to leave the tent and for the man to drop the knife. After trying pepper spray, a stun gun, and non-lethal rounds, all of which were ineffective, police shot Watkins when they said he approached them with the knife. In the video, the police can be seen providing first aid after the shooting.

"Obviously, they used less-lethal, and that was not effective, and so had that individual decided to charge out and stab one of my officers, they had no reason to believe any of the less lethal would have had an effect because it previously didn't have an effect. So, in defense of their lives, is why they decided to do that," Garcia said. "It's a tragedy for everyone."

The woman was also hospitalized for minor injuries and is expected to be OK.

Garcia said Watkins had a criminal history, including assault-family violence, fraud, unlawful carrying of a weapon and several drug charges.

"There was one individual that dictated the outcome of this and that was in the individual that charged out of that tent with a knife to try to get my officers. It's a tragedy. We don't want it to end like this. I've spoken to my officers and it's a tragedy for them as well.

This is the second fatal shooting involving Dallas police this year. Garcia said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing and is being investigated by the Dallas Police Special Investigations Unit. The Dallas County District Attorney’s office was notified and responded to the scene and will conduct its own investigation. The Office of Community Police Oversight was also notified and responded to the scene.