MESQUITE, Texas — An early morning encounter with a stolen vehicle led to an officer-involved shooting, leaving one dead and sparking an ongoing investigation in Mesquite.
MESQUITE, Texas — An early morning encounter with a stolen vehicle led to an officer-involved shooting, leaving one dead and sparking an ongoing investigation in Mesquite.
On Dec. 14, 2023, at 3:03 a.m., a Mesquite Police Department police officer discovered a stolen Hyundai sedan near the intersection of Cartwright Road and Faithon P. Lucas Blvd. The officer noticed the Hyundai was being tailed by a Chrysler sedan. Both vehicles later parked at a local 7-11 gas station.
The police officer approached the Hyundai and found it to be unoccupied and then approached the Chrysler, which was occupied by four individuals.
During the interaction with the occupants of the Chrysler, the police officer observed two males fleeing on foot from behind the store. They were both described as Black males and dressed in black hoodies and sweatpants.
"The officer provided the descriptions of the fleeing suspects to incoming officers and began giving commands to the occupants inside the Chrysler sedan," according to a press release from the Mesquite Police Department.
"The driver of the Chrysler sedan was uncooperative with commands to turn off the vehicle as well as commands to stop moving the vehicle," continued the release. "The driver continued making furtive movements inside the vehicle and during the course of the encounter the officer fired three rounds, striking the driver."
The vehicle rolled to a stop, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene despite officers' life-saving attempts.
The deceased was identified as 19-year-old Payton Lawrence, of Mesquite.
Three other individuals in the car were detained, with two later released after questioning. The third person, identified as 19-year-old Kevon Moore, of Dallas, was arrested on outstanding warrants.
Despite a search involving a DPS 101 helicopter and Mesquite Police K9 units, the two fleeing suspects remain at large.
The officer involved in the shooting is a 17-year veteran of the Mesquite Police Department.
