What to Know
- Shooting occurred during an attempted traffic stop; the driver initially refused to stop for a state trooper before stopping in Frisco.
- The state trooper is recovering at a hospital with injuries that haven't been publicly released as of writing.
- The shooter is in custody and hospitalized after a 15-hour standoff in which shots were fired
The man suspected of shooting a Texas State Trooper during a traffic stop Friday afternoon and holding a Frisco community at bay during a 15-hour standoff with law enforcement is in custody, police say.
Lonny Haschel, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the suspected shooter was taken into custody at about 5 a.m. Saturday.
The suspected shooter has been identified as 42-year-old Bryan M. Cahill. He has been charged with aggravated assault against a public servant and is being held at the Collin County Jail on $500,000 bond.
The injured trooper, whose name has not yet been released, is in stable condition and recovering from surgery, authorities said.
As the hourslong standoff unfolded, Cahill fired several shots at officers as they attempted to arrest him, Haschel said. Once in custody, Cahill was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of unspecified serious injuries.
The Texas Rangers are investigating the incident and detectives were expected to remain at the apartment complex throughout the day Saturday.
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According to Haschel, the trooper attempted to stop Cahill on the Dallas North Tollway for a traffic violation at about 2:15 p.m. near West Spring Creek Parkway. Cahill refused to stop, continuing north for about four miles to Lebanon Road.
From there, Haschel said, Cahill led the trooper to the La Valencia at Starwood apartment complex. Once in the parking lot, Cahill stopped suddenly in the middle of the road. At some point during the next few moments, there was an apparent exchange of gunfire and the trooper was hit.
It's not clear if Cahill was also struck in the exchange.
While Cahill apparently ran, the injured trooper was taken to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Plano, about six miles away, by a Frisco police officer.
The trooper was confirmed to be in stable condition before undergoing surgery Friday night. Hours later, at about 9 p.m., DPS officials announced that the trooper was out of surgery and that the surgeon said it "went well."
The specific nature of the trooper's injuries have not yet been disclosed.
As word of the shooting spread, and as the standoff grew longer Friday afternoon, a large number of officers from Frisco, Plano and McKinney, along with a number of FBI agents, joined the DPS investigation at the scene.
For several hours during the standoff, wearing heavy gear and carrying long guns, members of various law enforcement agencies were seen taking up various positions around the complex, including behind a disabled DPS SUV with apparent flat tires; a Pontiac Firebird stopped in front of the DPS vehicle sat with its driver's door open, a long gun on the ground nearby and several bullet holes in the back window. From Texas Sky Ranger's vantage point, no one was clearly visible inside the vehicle. It wasn't until several hours later, at about 5 p.m., that officers approached the vehicle, confirmed it was empty and began to search the interior.
Meanwhile, at buildings adjacent to the scene of the shooting, officers were seen escorting residents to more secure locations.
"Scary. I mean, I'm playing video games and shooting people and all of a sudden there's a bunch of shots outside my apartment," said Scott Bowers, who said he stayed on his floor while on the phone with emergency personnel until officers arrived and escorted him to a safe location.
As the night went on, DPS officials confirmed their belief that the shooter barricaded himself in an apartment and that they were actively working toward a peaceful resolution.
At various times throughout the evening and into Saturday morning, several loud bangs were heard in the apartment community.
Additional details about the shooting, including why Cahill may have tried to avoid the traffic stop, have not been released.
NBC 5's Laura Harris, Jack Highberger, Matt Jackson and Brian Roth contributed to this report.
