UPDATE: This story has been edited to correctly reflect the age of Duvall’s daughter.
SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – A man is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Smith County on Saturday, authorities said.
According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, 32-year-old Brandon Duvall was shot by deputies around 9:55 p.m. on Saturday in northwestern Smith County. According to Sheriff Larry Smith, it is a “remote part of the county” with a Mineola address.
A call initially came in to dispatch at 7:05 p.m. as a domestic disturbance in the 23000 block of County Road 459, authorities reported. Officials said the caller identified herself as a victim of an assault by her boyfriend at their residence.
According to Smith, his office had answered calls at the home before, but none of them were severe or ended in an arrest.
Authorities said EMS arrived around 7:15 p.m. and staged near the residence, and several Smith County patrol units arrived around 7:29 p.m.
Upon arrival, deputies learned Duvall “had left the area in his vehicle at a high rate of speed, losing control of his vehicle at the end of his driveway as it intersects with Smith County Road 459. Duvall’s vehicle struck a power pole which knocked out electricity to several houses in the area,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies said they searched for Duvall but reportedly did not locate him at that time, then left the area after taking the report and making arrangements for the victim to leave for the night. They said the victim changed her mind and “refused to leave the residence upon deputies arranging for a hotel room for the night.”
At around 9:22 that evening, a female caller identifying herself as Duvall’s mother first called Wood County 911 and was given the number to Smith County Sheriff’s Dispatch by Wood County 911, authorities said.
“She stated that she was not at the location, but her husband called her and she could hear Brandon beating his girlfriend as she was screaming and that he was also threatening his father,” according to a press release.
Deputies returned to the location, with the caller advising them that there were firearms in the house, “but didn’t know if he had a firearm at the time,” authorities said.
The first two responding deputies arrived at the location at 9:34 p.m., according to a press release. At 9:35 p.m., deputies reportedly notified Smith County dispatch that shots were fired. Authorities said EMS was dispatched at 9:36 p.m. as CPR was being administered to Duvall, and he was determined to be dead at 9:55 p.m.
“It has been determined that upon entering the residence via the front door, which enters into the living room of the residence, the two deputies observed Brandon Duvall in a bedroom to the right of the living room,” per a press release from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. “The deputies observed a rifle with a scope leaning against the bed next to Duvall and a pistol in his hand. As he pointed the pistol in the direction of the deputies, both deputies fired at Duvall, striking him several times.”
“They immediately began CPR and called the ambulance,” Smith said at a press conference the following Monday. “After the ambulance attendants worked on him for a while, they determined he was deceased.”
Smith said Duvall’s 4-year-old daughter was at the scene on Saturday outside in a truck with her grandfather. Authorities said she was not in the same room as Duvall was when he was shot. To the sheriff’s knowledge, the girl is still with her grandparents.
When they arrived the second time, authorities said it was clear Duvall’s girlfriend had been beaten.
“The first time the deputies went out there, she had a small scape or cut, but the second time obviously she had been beaten in the face and head, severe enough to go to the hospital by ambulance,” Smith said.
She was treated and released from the hospital, authorities said.
Per standard protocol for officer-involved shootings by Smith County Sheriff’s Office personnel, the Texas Rangers were contacted to investigate the incident. Both deputies have been put on administrative leave, as is also Sheriff’s Office protocol, “until it is determined they are ready to return to duty.”
“Obviously nobody wants to be in a situation to have to take somebody’s life,” Smith said.
He said the deputies are doing “as well as can be expected” in the circumstances.
“Obviously, you’re not shooting to kill. You’re not shooting to do anything but stop the threat,” Smith said.
In a press conference, Smith also praised dispatch for the way they handled the situation.
Smith County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 5 Jon Johnson held an inquest and ordered Duvall’s body be taken to Forensic Pathology for an autopsy.
Additional information will be released as it becomes available.