Police fatally shot a man who was armed with long, machete-style knives and striking cars and business at a Garland strip mall Tuesday afternoon, officials said.
The man was identified the next day as 40-year-old Shaun Leo Gates.
No officers or witnesses were injured, said Lt. Pedro Barineau, a police spokesman.
The shooting happened on an access road between I-30 and Bass Pro Drive. An eyewitness told WFAA that an armed man, who was shirtless, was banging on walls and "had big knives."
A business owner said Gates was holding two large, long knives and swinging them randomly outside of her business.
"We saw him in the middle of the street, like stopping people, stopping people in their cars," said Alex Williams, co-owner of The Compound Gym and Life of Legend. "He was kind of just swiping their cars with a sword. I'm like, 'He's really crazy.'"
Williams captured video of Gates on his cell phone. When he started toward the gym, he locked the doors and called police, then asked everyone inside to run to the back and hide.
"It was moving fast, I was like 'this is not a game, he's trying to kill someone,'" said Williams.
Barineau said police received multiple calls. According to Barineau, police asked Gates to drop his weapons, but he refused and continued marching toward them. A 27-year veteran of the force shot and killed Gates. The officer is now on standard paid administrative leave.
Investigators are looking into whether Gates had drugs or alcohol in his system. Police said he had other knives and brass knuckles with him as well.
