Wise County

Man waving skinning knife fatally shot by Wise County sheriff's deputies

After deputies used a stun gun, the sheriff's office says the man lunged toward deputies while holding a large knife

Wise County, Texas, sheriff’s department vehicle.
NBC 5 News

A Bridgeport man was fatally shot by sheriff's deputies Wednesday night after he lunged toward them while holding a skinning knife, the sheriff's office says.

The Wise County Sheriff's Office said they were called to a family disturbance at about 11:20 p.m. where a man asked for deputies to come to his home to help deal with a relative "high on drugs" who was banging on his door.

As deputies arrived at about 11:45 p.m., the sheriff's office said someone in a silver Dodge pickup truck drove away from the home. A deputy followed the driver and turned on his emergency lights. The driver did not stop and instead led deputies down Farm-to-Market Road 920.

The sheriff's office said the driver turned down a private road and stopped the truck. After deputies repeatedly ordered the driver out of the vehicle, they said a man stepped out holding and waving a large skinning knife.

The sheriff's office identified the man as 65-year-old Elvin Ray Fox of Bridgeport.

Deputies said when Fox refused to drop the knife, one of the deputies used a stun gun to try to disable and disarm him. The sheriff's office said Fox was still holding the knife when he then lunged toward the closest deputy. At that moment, an unreported number of deputies fired at Fox several times.

The Wise County Sheriff's Office said deputies and county EMS workers provided Fox with first aid but were unable to revive him.

The Texas Rangers are investigating the shooting.

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