DALLAS - A Dallas police officer is on administrative leave after authorities said she fired off her gun while off-duty in a squad car with at least one on-duty officer.
The call came in at around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night, which was when police rushed to the scene at Abrams Road and Gaston Avenue and found three officers at the scene.
Police said the incident happened after Kelly Beemer, an off-duty officer who police said had a few drinks, had gotten into a squad car of an on-duty police officer. Beemer allegedly pulled out her service weapon from her holster and fired the gun into the floorboard. Sources said she was belligerent at the time. Part of the incident was captured on audio tape from a dash cam camera.
"You need to stop this [expletive] now," Beemer can be heard saying on the tape before a gun fires.
"Oh [expletive], Kelly please drop the gun," an officer in the car said. "Kelly, drop the gun."
Prior to the incident, video from the dash cam showed two officers holding a stumbling Beemer up by her arms as they walked her towards the squad car. Throughout the drive, authorities said Beemer cried and acted belligerent, believing she was under arrest.
Sources said the on-duty officer driving the squad car was originally called to the bar where Beemer and other officers had been drinking. Prior to being picked up, Beemer was allegedly offered rides from other officers at the bar, and at one point ran and hid from officers, sources said.
Commanders were called to the scene, but did not arrest Beemer at the time, saying she was too drunk to be interviewed. It wasn't until they viewed the tape that they decided to arrest and charge Beemer.
"We are disappointed in her behavior there," said First Asst. Chief Charles Cato, Dallas Police Department. "I know I receive calls from friends, relatives who had a little too much to drink and needed a ride home, and all the people I've dealt with in that situation were just grateful that someone was willing to come out and pick them up. And so, in Officer Beemer's conduct, that was certainly a discredit to herself and to the people that were trying to help her. She put them in a really bad situation."
No officers were injured in the incident.
Beemer was arrested Thursday and charged with firing a weapon inside the city limits. If convicted, Beemer will lose her peace officer's license. Meanwhile, she has been stripped of her weapon and badge until the investigation is complete. Two other officers are on restrictive duty as police investigate their role in the incident.
E-mail: cvega@wfaa.com and rlopez@wfaa.com
