Jorge Alberto Merino

CUSTODIAL DEATH REPORT Agency Information ORIGINAL CDR Number: 19-460-UF Version Type: VERSION 5/14/2019 10:17 Report Date: Status: Submitted AM Agency/Facility Information Grand Prairie Police Agency Name: Agency Address: 1525 Arkansas Ln Dept. Agency City: Grand Prairie Agency State: TX Agency Zip: 75052 Director Information Director Salutation: Chief Director First Name: Steve Director Middle Name: Director Last Name: Dye Reporter Name: Gary Newton Reporter Email: [email protected] Decedent Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 1 of 7 --- PAGE BREAK --- Identity of Deceased First Name: Jorge Middle Name: Alberto Last Name: Merino Suffix: Date of Birth: 8/4/1981 Sex: Male Race: Hispanic or Latino Age At Time Of Death: 37 Date/Time of Custody (arrest, incarceration) (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Date/Time of Custody or 5/2/2019 10:22 PM Incident: Date/Time of Death (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Death Date and Time: 5/2/2019 11:27 PM Manner / Cause of Death Has a medical examiner or coroner conducted an evaluation to determine a cause of death? Medical Examiner/Coroner Yes, results are Evaluation?: available What was the manner of death? (select only one) Homicide (includes Justifiable Manner of Death: Custodial Death Report :: Page 2 of 7 --- PAGE BREAK --- Homicide) Medical Cause of Death: Medical Cause of Death: Gunshot wound of the head. Had the decedent been receiving treatment for the medical condition that caused the death after admission to your jail's jurisdiction? Medical Treatment: Not Applicable If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, who caused the death? Law Who caused the death?: enforcement/correctional personnel If a weapon caused the death, what type of weapon caused the death? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Type of weapon that caused Handgun death?: Was the cause of death the result of a pre-existing medical condition or did the decedent develop the condition after admission? Not Applicable; cause of death was Pre existing medical accidental injury, condition?: intoxication, suicide or homicide If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, what was the means of death? Means of Death: Firearm Custodial Death Report :: Page 3 of 7 --- PAGE BREAK --- Location / Custody Information Where did the event causing the death occur? Street Address: 101 S. Hwy 67 City: Cedar Hill County: Dallas Zip: 75014 What location category best describes where the event causing the death occurred? Location Category: Parking lot/garage What type of custody/facility was the Decedent in at the time of death: Pre-Custodial Use Type of Custody: of Force Specific type of custody/facility: Specific Type of Custody/Facility: Custody of Law Enforcement Personnel during/fleeing arrest What was the time and date of the deceased's entry into the law enforcement facility where the death occurred (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Entry Date Time: Entry Date Time N/A: Where did the death occur? Death Location: Scene of incident Custodial Death Report :: Page 4 of 7 --- PAGE BREAK --- General Information Did any other law enforcement agencies respond to calls for service related to this incident? Other Agencies Respond?: Yes What were the most serious offense(s) with which the deceased was (or would have been) charged with at the time of death? Offense 1: Evading Arrest/Detention Offense 2: Offense 3: Not filed at time of Were the Charges:: death What were the types of charges or reason for contact? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Type of Offense: Other, specify Type of Offense, Other: Traffic violation Evading Arrest/Detention At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent display or use a weapon? Decedent display/use of Yes, mark all that weapons: apply Decedent Display or Use Displayed firearm Weapon Details: without discharge Custodial Death Report :: Page 5 of 7 --- PAGE BREAK --- At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Yes (select all that Attempt to Injure Others?: apply) Attempted to injure Ways Decedent Attempted To law enforcement Injure Others: personnel At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Appear intoxicated (alcohol or Unknown Make suicidal statements?: Unknown drugs): Exhibit any mental health Unknown Exhibit any medical problems?: No problems?: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Barricade self or initiate Resist being handcuffed or Yes N/A standoff?: arrested?: Physically attempt/assault Gain possession of officer's No No officer(s): weapon: Verbally threaten other(s) Escape or attempt to Unknown Yes including law: escape/flee custody: Attempt gain possession No officer's weapon: Was the deceased under restraint in the time leading up to the death or the events causing the death? Under Restraint: No Summary of Incident Summary of How the Death Occurred: (max. 30,000 characters) Summary: The officer, in uniform and driving a marked police vehicle, utilized his overhead lights and attempted to make a traffic stop on the decedent's vehicle for a traffic violation. The decedent failed to yield and began to evade Custodial Death Report :: Page 6 of 7 --- PAGE BREAK --- the officer, attempting to flee at high speeds. The vehicle pursuit went through parts of Dallas, Cockrell Hill, Duncanville, and ended in Cedar Hill at 101 S. Hwy 67 in a business parking lot. Three other Grand Prairie police officers had joined the pursuit as back up officers. The officers surrounded the decedent's vehicle and began giving commands for him to exit the vehicle and surrender. The decedent refused to comply with the orders. He displayed a pistol and pointed it at his head. The decedent was moving around in the driver seat and not complying with commands to drop the pistol. The vehicle windows were rolled up and there was no two way communication, only the officers giving commands to drop the pistol and surrender. Approximately four (4) minutes after displaying the pistol, the decedent made a furtive movement, suddenly turning his head and upper body to his right as if to point his pistol at the police vehicle behind him. The officer who initiated the pursuit and who was positioned facing the driver door, discharged his duty pistol and struck the decedent. Custodial Death Report :: Page 7 of 7