Texas Tech University Shooting News: Campus Police Officer Dies; Student Charged With Capital Murder
A campus police in Texas Tech University died when the apprehended student shot him in the head. The said student is now charged with capital murder for his crime.
A 19-year-old freshman, Hollis Daniels, shot and killed campus police officer Floyd East Jr. last Monday night inside the Texas Tech Police Department, CNN confirmed.
Floyd arrested Hollis on the night of the shooting when police authorities conducted a welfare check at a dorm room and discovered the student in possession of drug equipment, Texas Tech Police Chief Kyle Bonath said at a news conference.
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Floyd then brought the student to the police department, where Hollis pulled out a gun and shot him in the head before escaping. Texas Tech University then went on lockdown for more than an hour before Hollis was apprehended.
Hollis was taken into the custody of the Lubbock County Sherriff's Office and was charged with capital murder.
The campus community of Texas Tech University gathered on Tuesday night to pay tribute to late officer Floyd.
"The #TexasTech community stands together in honor of Floyd East Jr. this evening in Memorial Circle," the university account said in a post on Twitter, along with photos of the gathering.
On the same day, Texas Tech University released a statement sending their condolences to the fallen police officer's family, along with their heartfelt thanks to the police departments involved with the institution.
"We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the Texas Tech Police Department, Lubbock Police Department, Lubbock County Sheriff's Office, and other local, state, and federal agencies for their response during this tragic event," the statement reads.
The post also encouraged campus faculty and students to have "crisis counselling" and shared information about their Student Counseling Center.
Floyd had a wife and two daughters. He began his employment as a guard at the university in 2014 and was promoted to university officer last May. Bonath sent his condolences to Floyd's family.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family," Bonath said.
