SE Campus shooting victim fought police, Target guards

By Karen Gavis/editor-in-chief

Before he was shot to death on SE Campus by a police officer, 22-year-old Jordan Ross Hatcher fought with a police officer and two Target guards who suspected him of stealing a Wii controller valued at $49.99, according to a report from Grand Prairie police.

Grand Prairie police attempted to block the information’s release, but the state attorney general’s office ruled May 1 that certain information must be made public.

According to Grand Prairie officer Alvin Sharp’s report, Hatcher and a friend, Jacob Henry, were suspected shoplifters Jan. 24 at a Target store on Highway 360. Hatcher was suspected of theft of the Wii controller, but the charge against him later escalated to robbery because of the altercation with police and Target theft prevention officers.

Hatcher attempted to run but was grabbed by the loss prevention officers before he pushed them off, the report said.

“He started swinging his arms, striking me in the face with a closed fist causing my mouth to bleed,” Sharp said. “He ripped my glasses off my face.”

Hatcher was an ex-Marine, who according to Sharp’s report, could not be controlled by the three because of his stocky build and aggression. At some point, Hatcher became shirtless, but the report said it is unknown how. Sharp made several verbal warnings before pointing his Taser at Hatcher who attempted to run again before Sharp Tased him in the middle of the back, the report said.

“Suspect Hatcher continued to run breaking the Taser cables,” Sharp said.

The report does not mention how after fleeing to SE Campus on foot, police surrounded Hatcher and another scuffle took place. According to Grand Prairie police, at the time an officer feared for his and his fellow officers’ lives after Hatcher gained control of one officer’s Taser.

Hatcher was shot multiple times in the chest and died, according to a Tarrant County medical examiner’s report. The death was ruled a homicide.

Arlington police detective Byron Stewart was assigned to investigate the case, which Arlington police spokesman Tiara Richard said has been given to the Tarrant County district attorney’s office. Arlington police have also refused to give further details, citing the pending investigation.