Officers responded at around 3 a.m. to 911 calls reporting that a man was causing a disturbance and shattering hallway light fixtures. Darius Tarver allegedly held a frying pan and a meat cleaver as he advanced on officers down a stairwell of the apartment building. Police said an officer used a stun gun on Tarver, but it did not stop him. Tarver reportedly did not follow officers' demands to stop and drop the cookware, and an officer shot and killed him.
Victim's Name: Darius J. Tarver
Agency Responsible: Denton Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Race: Black
Date of Death: January 21, 2020
County: Denton
Cause of Death: Gunshot, Taser
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Yes
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: meat cleaver
Threat Level: attack
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 5385