Jordan Edwards, 15, was sitting in the passenger seat of a car Saturday night when a police officer shot through the window with a rifle and killed him.

Mesquite ISD

A suburban Texas police department has fired an officer who shot and killed a black teenager as he was leaving a house party on Saturday night, officials said Tuesday. Jordan Edwards, a 15-year-old freshman at Mesquite High School, outside of Dallas, died after Balch Springs Police Officer Roy Oliver fired multiple rounds with his rifle into the car he was riding in. The car was carrying five teenagers, including Jordan's two brothers, who were trying to leave a house party that had become unruly after cops arrived. Jordan's 16-year-old stepbrother, Vidal Allen, was driving the vehicle during the shooting and noticed Jordan's head was smoking, attorney Lee Merritt said, and then flagged police to help. On Tuesday, Balch Springs Police Chief Jonathan Haber said Oliver, who was the second officer at the scene, had been terminated. The chief said Oliver, who had been with the department since July 2011, violated several departmental policies, but would not elaborate on which ones. Prosecutors are still investigating and could charge Oliver, who has the right to appeal his firing.

"You have my assurances my department will continue to be responsive, transparent, and accountable," Haber said. Oliver, who served in the US Army and the Texas National Guard, had faced disciplinary action once before in 2013, when he was suspended for16 hours after a complaint from the Dallas County District Attorney's office, according to records obtained by The Associated Press. "He had had a long night before and was frustrated by something and he said 'Fuck' in court. That was it," Balch Springs Officer Pedro Gonzalez told BuzzFeed News. "He apologized and the suspension was to avoid repercussions with Dallas County." Gonzalez described Oliver as an "average officer" who was easy going and not aggressive or violent.

Vernon Bryant / AP Balch Springs Police Chief Jonathan Haber speaks during a news conference Monday.

On Monday, Haber reversed the department's original account of the shooting, acknowledging that the car had been driving away when the officer opened fire with a rifle. Initially, police claimed that the vehicle had been backing up toward officers in "an aggressive manner."

"I made a mistake and I apologized for it," Haber said Tuesday. In a statement, Edwards' family said they were grateful that Oliver had been fired and thanked Haber for his "commendable strides toward justice," but said there "remains a long road ahead." "The magnitude of his horrible actions cannot be overstated," the family said. "We fully expect an equivalent response from those responsible for investigating and punishing the crime. We also know that although his actions were the most wicked and consequential, he was not the only officer responsible for dreadful behavior that evening."



Louis Deluca / AP Mourners hold the commemorative program as they emerge from the funeral service.

Guy Reynolds / AP Odell Edwards wipes away tears as he sits with his wife, Charmaine Edwards, listening to their attorney Lee Merritt talking about the death of their son.

While Edwards' family vowed they would fight to ensure all officers involved "would be properly reprimanded," they urged people not to commit violence against law enforcement or protest or march in their son's name. "What we desire only second to having our beloved Jordan back, is JUSTICE FOR JORDAN," they wrote. Explaining the circumstances surrounding Edwards' death Tuesday, Gonzalez said that police arrived at a raucous house party on Baron Street Saturday around 11 p.m. and were attempting to find the owners of the home when they heard multiple gunshots coming from outside "causing a chaotic scene with numerous people running away." After the first officer arrived, the teens quickly scattered, neighbors said. Oliver, the second officer, arrived shortly after.

A neighbor told the Dallas Morning News that about 100 teens were at the house party and several cars were blocking people's driveways. Lisa Roberson, whose son threw the party while she was out of town, told the outlet that her son said there was no alcohol at the house. Police initially said that officers confronted the vehicle Edwards was riding in, which was backing down the street, and shouted at it. But Haber conceded at a news conference Monday that the officers' account was inaccurate, and that after reviewing dash cam footage, it was clear the vehicle was "moving forward" as the officers approached. As the teens continued driving away from the scene and Oliver then opened fire, striking the 15-year-old passenger in the head. Edwards died from his wounds after being transported to a local hospital. "After viewing the video, I don't believe that it met our core values," Haber said. Edwards, an honor student and athlete, was "very well liked by his teachers, coaches, and fellow students," the Mesquite Independent School District said in a statement. "The entire district — especially the staff and students of Mesquite High School — are mourning this terrible loss," it concluded.



The teen adored football, Merritt told BuzzFeed News, and was excited to play on the freshman team with his friends, many of whom shared their heartbreak and sadness on social media.



Lee Merritt Jordan Edwards' football locker

Mesquite High School football coach Jeff Fleener told the Dallas Morning News that Edwards had "a smile that could light up a room."

"The best thing in the world or the worst thing in the world would happen, and he'd smile, and everything would be OK," the coach said. "You create a checklist of everything you would want in a player, a son, a teammate, a friend, and Jordan had all that. He was that kid."