Dallas police say two officers shot a man who pointed a replica gun; suspect in critical condition

Dallas police announced Jan. 7 that two officers shot and struck a man in the 11,000 block of Joaquin Drive after multiple callers reported a person pointing a weapon at passing vehicles.

The chief said Officers Juan Lopez Navarro and Nathaniel Carnes were the first to arrive at about 3:21 p.m. after the department received six 9-1-1 calls reporting the suspect pointing a gun. "This is the 1st Dallas police officer involved shooting in 2025," the chief said during a briefing. According to the department, Lopez Navarro fired his rifle once and Carnes fired his handgun three times; a total of four rounds were fired.

The man, identified in the briefing as Michael Alonzo, 52, was struck and taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he remains in "stable but critical condition," the chief said. The department later recovered an object at the scene that investigators determined was a Crosman C02 replica air pistol, not a functioning firearm.

The chief said officers gave repeated verbal commands in English and Spanish and that body-worn-camera audio captured an officer saying, "he's got a gun in his hand," at the scene. Bystander 9-1-1 audio played during the briefing captured callers expressing alarm and reporting gunfire; one caller said, "I just heard a couple gunshots right now." The department's Special Investigations Unit is handling the probe, and the Dallas County District Attorney's Office has been notified and will conduct its own review.

Both officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, the chief said. The Office of Community Police Oversight responded to and has been briefed on the incident; the department said it will release dashcam and body-worn-camera footage and 9-1-1 recordings.

The chief emphasized the department's commitment to a full investigation: "I can ensure you the department is committed to a thorough, complete, and accurate investigation of this incident." He also noted that since 2023, 17 Dallas officers have been fired upon while on duty.

Officials said dispatch contacted the Dallas Independent School District police during the response; school officials were told that most children had already been dismissed. No officers or other members of the public were reported injured by gunfire during the incident. Charges for the suspect were announced during the briefing: the department said Alonzo will be charged with three counts of deadly conduct and that additional charges may follow.

The department provided service dates for the officers involved: Lopez Navarro has been with the department since April 2021; Carnes joined in September 2021. The chief said the rifle seen in released footage was placed on the ground by Officer Lopez Navarro while he provided aid and that it remains part of the crime scene.

The investigation is ongoing; prosecutors and oversight officials are reviewing the evidence and video the department said it will release publicly.