Video shows suspect with knife charging at Fort Worth police officers

The Fort Worth Police Department shared video and gave an update on one of two police shootings that happened this past Wednesday.

The Westgate Drive shooting involved a domestic violence suspect armed with knives who was killed by officers.

Westgate Drive Officer-Involved Shooting

The backstory:

The shooting happened in the early morning hours of Jan. 15 in the 5800 block of Westgate Drive.

Police said officers were responding to a 911 call about a domestic violence incident. The suspect was allegedly armed with a knife and threatening others in the home.

When officers got to the home, Adame’s mother, who had called 911, opened the door but struggled to open a second metal screen door.

Related

Man killed in Fort Worth police shooting after charging officers with knives

Fort Worth police fatally shot a man armed with knives during a domestic disturbance early Wednesday after he charged at officers.

While that was happening, the officers spotted the suspect, 28-year-old Brandon Adame, still holding a knife and acting aggressively toward his mother. 

One officer tried to talk to Adame while others went around back to get into the house a different way. They tried to force their way in through the back door to protect the victim.

Police said when officers kicked in the back door, Adame charged at the officers with knives in each hand. Two officers opened fire, killing him.

No officers or others from the home were injured.

Body Camera Video Released

Video of the shooting that police released starts with the 911 call.

In it, Adame can be heard in the background yelling, "I’m gonna ------ kill you."

"No, Mijo, please. I’m sorry," his mother begs. "I’m sorry, Mijo. Mijo, don’t hit me no more.  Please, don’t hit me no more."

The first body camera angle then shows officers approaching the family’s front door. When it’s slowed down, a knife is visible through the screen door.

Adame can be heard laughing once he realizes the officers cannot get through the locked front door.

"Just talk to me. Just talk to me," an officer says. "Hey, get away from her."

Video from a second officer’s body camera shows officers kicking in the back door.

Immediately after the back door opens, the suspect can be seen charging at officers, and gunfire erupts.

"Stop. Don’t move. Don’t move," the officers order. "Drop the gun. Drop the knives."

By that time, Adame is already on the ground.

3 Police Shootings in 1 Week

What they're saying:

Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes said he hates that he’s once again giving an update on a shooting that involved his officers.

Last week, Chief Noakes met with reporters about a shooting that happened on Jan. 9 involving a suspect who threatened officers with a gun. That man was critically injured.

In a third shooting on Jan. 15, officers fired shots at a man who was threatening people outside an apartment leasing office. He was not hit and was later arrested.

Related

'No, you get on the ground': suspect tells officer before Fort Worth shooting

Fort Worth police released bodycam footage of a standoff where 42-year-old Deron Morris refused orders from a police officer. Multiple bystanders called 911 'fearing for their lives.'

"Obviously, it was a tragic incident because it was a loss of life. So, this is difficult for the loved ones of that gentleman. And I caution everyone not to forget how difficult it is for the officers involved as well," he said.

The chief confirmed his officers had been to the home a week prior for a mental health call. Adame was taken to the hospital after that incident for medical care.

But the Jan. 15 incident took a different turn.

"You can hear in the 911 call from the mother the desperation in her voice, the fear, begging her own son not to hit her anymore and not to kill her as he was telling her he was going to kill her with the knife," Noakes said. "I appreciate the fact that as officers arrived, again they didn’t try to rush things. They tried to communicate with this gentleman. Tried to reason with him and let him know that they didn’t want to hurt him. They also knew that there was an active threat of violence, homicidal violence."

Chief Noakes said his officers were presented with a choice and they chose to protect themselves, which is what he expects them to do.

"This was not a situation where they could sit back and just wait because of the ongoing deadly threat to the mother," he said. "They had to act. They did so the best they could. They were faced with a deadly threat, and they did what we trained them to do."

Fort Worth does work with mental health professionals on some calls, but in this case the chief said there was not enough time for that person to make it to the scene.

What's next:

Both internal and independent investigators will review the case.

The officers who were involved were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigations.

The Source: The information in this story comes from a news conference held by the Fort Worth Police Department on Jan. 24, 2025.

Fort Worth Police DepartmentFort WorthCrime and Public Safety