Arlington police officer fired following fatal shooting; department releases video

The Arlington police officer who fatally shot a 40-year-old man Wednesday has been fired for violating department policy.

Police Chief Al Jones identified the officer as Robert Phillips, who fired multiple shots at Jesse Fischer of Addison.

The shooting happened after officers followed Fischer in a low-speed chase into Carla Court, a cul de sac. Fischer had been stopped in the middle of the roadway along Pioneer Parkway near Daniel Drive when police first arrived on the scene, Sgt. Chris Moore said in a press conference Wednesday evening.

Once on Carla Court, Fischer made a U-turn and drove toward an officer who had gotten out of his vehicle. Dash camera footage shows Phillips firing multiple shots into the front window of Fischer’s car.

Prior to the press conference, Jones said he had met with Fischer’s family and reviewed the camera footage with them. Phillips was also interviewed following the incident.

When asked whether the move to terminate Phillips was too quick, Jones said he stood by the decision.

“The facts as we know them today are not going to change,” he said. “They’re not going to change today, they’re not going to change tomorrow, they’re not going to change six months from now.”

Jones said there were many steps Phillips could have taken, such as getting behind or back into the police car. Because the officers knew they were going into a dead-end street, Jones said the officers could have blocked the street until Fischer surrendered.

The move to terminate Phillips was about transparency and trust within the community, Jones said. Without any action against him, Jones said there would have been outrage in the Arlington community.

“It’s not about politics to me; it’s about righting wrong, it’s about morals,” Jones said.