IRVING - An Irving family is calling for an outside investigation after police officers opened fire on Orlando Rodriguez.
“It was really just a slap in the face to see somebody protecting their home was actually shot and killed,” said Rachel Hernandez, Rodriguez’s niece
Reports of shots fired sent police to 18th Street on the city’s southwest side early Saturday morning. Once on the scene, police confronted the 49-year-old man outside his sister's home.
Relatives said he was checking on suspicious noises and was carrying a BB gun for his protection. Arriving officers mistook it for a rifle. Police said one officer fired twice with a shotgun.
“They identified themselves as police, shined lights on him,” said David Tull, an Irving Police Department spokesman. “When they did that, he turned toward them with what’s described as a long gun, like a rifle.”
The two officers are on administrative leave while police investigate.
Irving police said Rodriguez raised the weapon towards the officer, which is something the family said they doubt. Relatives describe him as a family man who was not confrontational and who spent much of his time caring for his elderly mother.
Rodriguez had just started his vacation and was spending time at his sister’s home in Irving.
Friends said he worked for more than ten years at Business Jet Center at Dallas Love Field refueling private jets. His colleagues described him as a trusted friend and a very hard worker.
“You took away somebody protecting a home," said Juan Hernandez, his nephew. "That's all he did. He was protecting a lady, our aunt, inside. I want answers, whatever it takes to know why this happened. Who messed up?”
E-mail jbetz@wfaa.com
