Eleuterio Amaya-Torres, 63

Plano, Texas
June 12, 2017

Cause of death: Shooting

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Last updated: almost 6 years ago

Overview

A veteran police officer shot and killed a man who struggled with and fired a gun towards another woman at a QuikTrip gas station Monday afternoon.

Plano Police say they can't release many details, but a call log showed the incident was reported as a kidnapping Monday afternoon according to WFAA's Hannah Davis.

Witnesses say a woman crashed her white Nissan Sentra and ran out of the car  at about 4:30 Monday afternoon. Police say a gunman was in the backseat and started shooting in the woman's direction.

On Tuesday, a friend of the woman told WFAA the woman was so desperate to get out of the car with the gunman she crashed her vehicle when she saw a police officer refueling her patrol car. The friend says the woman ran towards the officer and got into the driver's seat and started driving the patrol car away while the officer was still refueling.

Photos and video from the scene show the gas hose dangling from patrol car after the woman tried to drive away. Meanwhile, Plano police say the officer put herself between the woman and the shooter and returned fire, killing the shooter.

Tuesday evening police identified the shooter as 63-year-old Eleuterio Amaya-Torres. His connection to the woman he allegedly opened fire on is unclear.

Plano police say the officer involved was nearing the end of her shift and wearing a uniform. She is on paid administrative leave as the department investigates the incident.

“We heard a pop, then we ran because we knew it was a gun. Someone yelled 'gun!'” recalled Brett Robinson, a witness who works next door at a car wash.

Robinson and his co-worker, Joshua Cotten, caught the aftermath on their iPhones.

“We saw the man laying down right behind the car with a gun in his hand – no movement. And then the officer kicked it out of his hand,” said Cotten.
“There’s no telling what the intent of this suspect was to the victim. I think the officer’s training and her skills involved in this was able to diffuse the situation and potentially save a life,” said Officer David Tilley with Plano PD.

No other injuries were reported.

Because this is an officer-involved shooting, the investigation has been handed over to the Texas Rangers.

Police recovered Amaya-Torres' firearm at the scene.