Arlington PD not naming officers injured in drug raid

Arlington police are still not identifying either officer wounded in a drug raid that turned violent on Tuesday afternoon.

The SWAT officer that was first to go into the house was most seriously injured, with wounds to his mostly to his lower extremities. He is expected to undergo additional surgeries. He is reportedly an 11-year veteran of the department. The other officer was grazed by a bullet in the hand.

Arlington police say it all started with a tip in September that drugs were being sold out of this duplex.

On Tuesday, police requested a so-called 'no knock' search warrant after realizing the suspect who lived there was Vincent Hall, 22.

Surveillance video showed Hall running from Arlington police in July 2016 after he attacked and tried to disarm an officer. He was later arrested in Kentucky, convicted and sent to prison.

It's not clear how recently he got out, but a search warrant affidavit says police were aware he had access to guns -- a 9mm handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun. Then, Tuesday afternoon, as SWAT members attempted to enter through the front door they were greeted by gunfire.

"Mr. Hall was advancing down the hallway and he had a rifle in his hands, we now know it was an AR-15 style rifle, and not only was he advancing on the officers down the hallway he was discharging his fire him multiple times,” said Lt. Chris Cook, Arlington PD.

Police say five officers returned fire, killing Hall. The officer closest to the front door was shot in the legs and ankles. He is an 11-year veteran and is recovering well. Police are not releasing his name or the name of the officer whose hand was grazed by one of Hall's bullets.

"Where the decedent's body was located, he actually fell onto the rifle. So there's no question that he was the operator of the rifle,” Cook said.

Four other people inside the house were detained. One of them was Billy Nevels, who was arrested on outstanding warrants.

The officer who was shot several times has surgeries and a long recovery ahead.

"He's a very humble, very private person,” Cook said. “But he wanted to convey his extreme gratitude and satisfaction for all the well wishes."

Neighbor Zachary Hackney went outside thinking something happened to his car when he first heard the gunshots on Tuesday. When he heard the noise again there was no mistake in what was actually happening.

"I just ran inside and shut the door and I said, ‘There are shots fired, get down, get down’ and we all ran to the center of the house because there's a lot of walls, we just ducked for cover and stayed there and waited for the shots to stop,” Hackney said.

It's not clear what, if any, charges the other suspects in the home will face. Police say they recovered marijuana, hydrocodone, Xanax and cocaine from the house.

The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office says it had no idea Hall was out of prison He was convicted and sent to prison, but prosecutors were unaware he had only served a fraction of his 3-year and 9-month sentence. Prosecutors did not now he had been released on parole or even when it happened.