What began as an argument between two people turned into a long standoff, which resulted in Texas man being charged in Custer County District Court.
Erik Jacob White, 22, faces 3 counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and a single count of obstructing an officer. Weatherford police listed his address in Flint, Texas. Court records list his address as Weatherford.
Police responded to an apartment in the 900 block Delarice, where White was reportedly staying, after a 911 call by the victim, who she said escaped to the balcony of the apartment to call the police.
In an interview with police after the incident December 30, the victim told police she had placed her heart medication out on the counter, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in district court.
“The defendant told the victim she was a pill popper to which she replied, ‘well your grandfather must have been a pill popper since he just died,’” court records indicate.
The victim told police at that point, White allegedly grabbed a knife and put it to the victim’s throat, court records show.
As the defendant was allegedly reaching for a second knife, the victim escaped and went onto the balcony to call 911, court records indicate.
A witness to the alleged incident told police she never saw White put any knife up to the victim’s throat, court records indicate.
The day police responded to the apartment, police found White allegedly holding a silver knife with a black handle in his right hand and a white and blue serrated knife with a blue handle in his left hand. Court records indicate officer Chaz Hickman drew his service pistol and began giving White verbal commands to drop the knives.
As police downstairs were trying to get the victim and a witness to safety, White allegedly screamed at officers several times to “shoot me, f****** shoot me and show me every cop is the same,” court records show.
White allegedly continued walking to the front door, pointing at officer Hickman with the knife and continuing to yell, court records indicate.
Hickman continued to command White drop the knife, to which White allegedly yelled, “I’ll kill every f****** person that comes in this g****** house,” court records show.
Officer Hickman continued describing the incident, writing “I informed the defendant we were there to help him, not shoot him.” Later, Hickman wrote, “At that time, I realized I could not back up any further, due to being up against the railing on the second story balcony. Having nowhere else to go, I believed that if the defendant exited the residence, he had full intentions of hurting me or someone else,” court records indicate.
After that, White barricaded himself in the apartment, slamming the door. Hickman got down to the first floor, as White came out of the apartment began to walk toward the stairs. It was at this time, Detective Joe Cox hit White with a beanbag he shot, which prompted White to return to the apartment, court records show.
White again came outside, this time described as holding a knife in his right hand and smoking a cigarette. After another attempt by detective Cox to speak with White. Detective Cox told White officers just wanted to help him, not hurt him. White reportedly became upset again, yelling “I wish you f****** would, death by cop right, I just come down these stairs,” court records indicate.
White then began walking down the stairs, still brandishing a knife, even after being told repeatedly to stop. White made it to the bottom quarter of stairs and continued, at which point police hit him with five beanbag shots, court records show.
White retreated to the apartment again. After that, White came out again, this time he wasn’t holding any weapon. He walked downstairs and into the grass on the south side of the apartment, where police placed him under arrest. During the arrest, White allegedly refused to comply with orders, by keeping his arms “rigid and tucked under his body,” court records indicate.
After being handcuffed, White was treated on scene by paramedics and then was physically carried to a patrol car “due to him not wanting to walk.” After being placed in the car, White was taken to the Custer County jail, court records show.
He is due back in court January 22 for an attorney date.