Botham Shem Jean, 26

Dallas, Texas
September 06, 2018

Agencies: Dallas Police Department Special Investigations Unit SIU Texas | Texas Attorney General's Office | Texas Civil Rights Project | Texas Department of Public Safety

Cause of death: Shooting

Follow This Case

---

Last updated: over 2 years ago

People tracking this case: 3 -- Click here to Track this.

Overview

Botham Shem Jean was killed late Thursday when a Dallas police officer returning home from her shift entered the wrong apartment in her building and eventually opened fire, authorities said.

Details surrounding the death of Jean, a 26-year-old native of the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, were not immediately available early Friday.

His mother, Allie Jean, said in a phone interview that his family was stunned to learn of his death.

"He did no one any wrong," she said.

Dallas police in a statement said that preliminary information suggests the officer involved called for help, and told responding officers that "she entered the victim's apartment believing that it was her own."

The incident began just before 10 p.m. CT (11 p.m. ET) at the South Side Flats, an upscale apartment complex directly south of Dallas' downtown.

During the encounter, the officer was in full uniform and "fired her weapon striking the victim," police said.

Jean was taken to the hospital and died. The Dallas County Medical Examiner later released his identity.

Legal Action

September 2018 Dallas police seek manslaughter warrant against officer who killed neighbor

September 2018 Dallas officer who killed black man also shot a man in 2017

September 2018 Witnesses dispute Dallas cop's account in fatal shooting of neighbor, attorney says

September 2018 Press conference Dallas Police oversight

September 2018 Dallas Cop may have been Acting as Security Guard when she Killed Botham Jean

September 2018 New witnesses contradict Dallas officer's story in Botham Jean shooting

September 2018  Botham Jean Attorney: Nothing In Amber Guyger's Story Makes Sense 

September 2018 Review of what is known so far. Noise complaint and execution of Botham Jean.

September 2018 Smear and character assassination of dead person. Raiding the victim's home instead of perpetrator's home.

September 2018 Family Lawyer demands Amber Guyger who murdered Botham Jean and officers working with Dallas media to leak details of the investigation be fired.

September 2018 Merritt, an attorney for the Jean family, said the Dallas Police Department tainted the investigation before handing it off to the Texas Rangers.

September 2018 News station Fox4News faces public backlash for running smear campaign

September 2018 This Is Why We Say BLACK LIVES MATTER. Stop The Smearing.

September 2018 Dallas newspaper runs police propaganda kite flying exercise.

September 2018 Bail for murderer but no bail for protestors speaking out about the murder.

September 2018  Amber Guyger fired from Dallas Police Department after shooting of Botham Jean

November 2018 Today is an important day for Dallas and the nation. The Grand Jury will choose whether or not to indict officer #AmberGuyger for the murder of #BothamJean in his own apartment living room.

September 2019 Trial of killer cop due to begin

During opening statements in Guyger’s murder trial, prosecutors offered a reason for her failure to notice she was at the wrong apartment: She was distracted by the sexually explicit conversation she had been having with her partner on the police force, Martin Rivera.

August 2020 Amber Guyger appeals murder conviction arguing the murder was reasonable self defence

Community and Family Efforts

Family funeral fund

September 2018 Color of Change Petition

September 2018 Protest march Dallas also here.

September 2018 Crazy video. Dallas Police firing deterrent rounds during a peaceful protest of the handling of the murder of Botham Jean last night. This is crazy - the police had no right to fire anything at these peaceful protesters.

September 2018 #Takeaknee South Side Flats

Shaun King

September 2018 Funeral Video here

September 2018 "Don't play with toys Tamir. Don't buy skittles Trayvon. Don't stand in front of a convenient store Alton. Don't follow instructions when you're pulled over Philando. Don't go to kids parties Jordan. Don't sit on your couch in your apartment #BothamJean" - Imam Omar Suleiman

September 2018 NRA Nonsense disregarding lessons from the Philando Castile murder. More here

September 2018 Botham Jean case Update Doors, noise complaints, Tim Black

etc

September 2018 I-30 near Dallas shutdown

September 2018 Activists march with coffins at AT&T Stadium to protest Botham Jean killing