Lawful Dallas Gun Owner Kills Burglar, Aims Gun At Police, Gets Killed Himself

Dallas News

A career criminal broke into a Far East Dallas home Thursday night thinking the homeowner had died and his belongings were there for the taking, police said.

Not long after, the burglar, Jerry Wayne Hale, 30, was fatally wounded from the homeowner’s bullet. Police said William K. Hall, 57, stood over him and told him he wanted to shoot him again.

Police said Hall then turned his 9 mm pistol on witnesses and officers before three officers opened fire, killing him.

Maj. Jeff Cotner of the Crimes Against Persons Division said at a Friday news conference that responding officers didn’t know Hall was defending his home. Regardless, Hall had threatened witnesses and officers, Cotner said.

“Our individual had plenty of opportunities to deescalate,” Cotner said. ”He was given plenty of notice, and he didn’t choose a path other than to confront officers.”

When officers Julian McDaniel and Daniel Ryan Summers showed up on the scene, they didn’t know the other officers had taken cover, Cotner said. Officer Alexander Everett went to warn them as they headed toward Hale, who was lying in a pool of blood.

Then Hall began walking out of the shrubs and made it into his driveway while continuing to manipulate the slide on the gun to make it fire again. Hall moved toward officers and pointed the gun at them, Cotner said.

The three officers fired and struck the man, Cotner said. He said Hall then fell to the ground, but managed to reach over, pick up his gun and point it at officers a second time. Officers fired again, and Hall died at the scene.