A jury will continue deliberations Monday in the trial of a former Arlington, Texas, police officer accused of negligent homicide in the accidental shooting death of a woman.
Former officer Ravinder Singh shot 30-year-old Margarita Brooks to death during a welfare check in August 2019.
Singh, a Fort Worth-area rookie officer at the time of the shooting, was dispatched to check on Brooks, who was seen lying in the grass behind a shopping strip.
Footage from Singh’s body camera showed him walking along a sidewalk and calling out, “Hello. Are you OK?” The woman replies, “Yeah, I’m fine.” A dog approaches and the officer asks, “Is that your dog?”
His calls caught the attention of her unrestrained dog, prompting it to bark and charge toward him.
As the dog runs toward him, the officer yells, “Get back!” He begins to back up and then fires three shots. The woman screams, “Oh, my God!” and continues to cry out.
Police say Singh retreated, while firing his gun toward the dog multiple times, striking Brooks in the chest in the process.
Singh was hospitalized and later died due to her injuries.
The police station said Brooks was a mother of three who appeared to be homeless and was often seen walking with her boyfriend and her dog, a lab mix who weighed about 40 lbs.
In November 2019, amid an administrative investigation, Singh resigned from the department, and in September 2020, a Tarrant County grand jury indicted him on a negligent homicide charge. He has pleaded not guilty.
Brooks’ family also filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the former officer in July 2021, seeking $2 million in damages.
“There’s no winners in this,” Brooks’ father Troy Brooks said, per the station. “That’s a young man in there. This changes the course of his life. We can’t get Maggie back.”
Singh is being represented by defense attorney Rafael Sierra.
He should rot in jail.
I totally agree Gerald!!
Gerald, I hope you get eaten alive by dogs one day. Just kidding, lol.
Gerald, are you not being harsh? While I feel sympathy for both the family of the deceased and the policeman, I also know the importance of keeping your dog under control. I have had several chows in my life and at no time were they allowed to run free. My reaction to a 40 pound dog rushing me would be the same as the policemans and if you are truthful, it would be your reaction also.
Sing was an idiot
That’s why we have leash law’s ,animals should always be leashes when outside they are the owners responsible, just as parents are responsible for their underage children the same goes for your animals, she make the choice not to obey the leash law’s and it cost her her life, I do not think the officer should have to pay for her mistake in disobeying the leash law’s. that’s what is wrong with our country too many people disregarding the law’s and getting away with it . I am sacred too death of dog’s I have seen what a 40 pound dog can do to the human body , it’s not a pretty sight and the person is traumatize for the rest of their life .I feel sorry for no one that doesn’t obey the law’s of the land. she basically took her life into her own hands , and other people have to pay for her disobeying the law .it isn’t right
A police officer shouldn’t be shooting wildly when people are present. He should be trained better than that, unfortunately it doesn’t sound like he was ready to be out in the public with a weapon.
I agree, the dog should have been on a lease, but she shouldn’t have lost her life over it.
She did not take her own life, the cop did! He was more worried about his own life than the citizen that he was suppose to be protecting!! Hang him high!!
As we ALL (should), know: after-the-fact ‘Monday Night’ QUARTERBACKING’ is SOOOOooo EZ. While we sit at our PCs sipping a Cinnamon Mocha latte from ‘Starbucks’, PLEASE remember that we weren’t there! As a former, now Retired LEO (Retired US Army; 94B Military Police Officer, and KLETC – the State of KS certified), I would say, like in MOST cases of tragic incidents involving (both ‘Rookie & Veteran LEOs;), the lack of proper training/tactics and ‘Use of Force’ training was the true culprit of this situation (along with the F.T.O that ‘certified’ that this ‘rookie’ LEO was ready to be ‘released’ onto their city’s streets wayyyyyyy too soon). No one can ACTUALLY predict what one may (do until; after-the-fact. Of course, in THIS very tragic case, it’s wayyyyyyy too late! No one ‘Wins’ in this scenario. No one.