Shot

East Texas Police Fatally Shoots Theft Suspect Brandishing BB Gun

Man struggled with officers before shooting, police say

Police have fatally shot an East Texas man suspected of stealing beer and pointing a BB gun at officers trying to question him.

Palestine police said 47-year-old James D. Bushey of Anderson County was shot while outside a restaurant. Bushey had recently moved to Texas from New Hampshire.

The incident was caught on both officers' body cameras.

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Police Chief Mike Alexander said officers responded to a theft report at a Walmart and a suspect seen leaving the store on May 31. Alexander said officers located the man hiding in the bathroom of a nearby restaurant.

Police said Bushey left the restaurant, struggled with officers and pointed what appeared to be a pistol at them.

Both officers fired. Bushey was declared dead at a Palestine hospital.

Police later determined he had a BB gun and recovered some alleged stolen items.

The officers were put on administrative leave, but have since been cleared by a grand jury, police said. Both officers are back on the force.

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