HARRISON COUNTY, Texas — A Harrison County grand jury has voted to no-bill six Harrison County deputies after hearing and seeing evidence and testimony from Texas Rangers regarding an officer involved shooting, which took place in December 2019, and that claimed the life of Demetrius Williams.
According to the Harrison County District Attorney's Office, on December 5, 2019, at approximately 11:15 a.m. members of the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team (ERT) responded to 604 South Allen St., in Marshall to serve a warrant to Demetrius Williams for delivery of a controlled substance.
When the ERT arrived on scene, Williams was parked in a minivan in front of the residence in the driver’s seat with the engine running. The district attorney's office says when deputies attempted to contact Williams, he drove the minivan in reverse toward deputies striking a truck and pinning a deputy between Williams’ vehicle and the truck.
Officials say Williams then put the vehicle in drive and drove toward multiple deputies in an erratic manner causing the ERT to believe Williams was using deadly force against them forcing. That's when deputies were forced to shoot Williams.
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He was later pronounced dead at at Longview hospital.
"In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Chief Deputy BJ Fletcher notified the Texas Rangers and requested they investigate as an independent law enforcement agency," a statement from the district attorney's office said. "A team of Texas Rangers responded to the scene and began their investigation. Texas Rangers routinely investigate officer involved shootings. After several months of investigation, the case was received by the Harrison County District Attorney’s Office who prepared the case to go before the grand jury."