Killeen police: Man shot during traffic stop by Killeen police officer

KILLEEN, Texas - Killeen police say a man was shot in the shoulder during a traffic stop by a Killeen police officer last week.

KPD says an officer stopped a driver for an obscured license plate on Feb. 18 around 10:15 p.m. in the area of Veterans Memorial and Conder Street. During the stop, the officer saw furtive moments from both occupants.

The officer approached the driver's side and began speaking with the driver, identified as 29-year-old Paris Lamar Hunter. Hunter partially opened his door and the officer pushed it closed. The officer explained the reason for the stop and KPD says he saw marijuana remnants on both Hunter and his passenger, identified as 23-year-old Morgan Alexandria Cleveland. 

KPD says the officer told Hunter and Cleveland to keep their hands where he could see them and asked Hunter multiple times to place his hands on the steering wheel and to turn off the vehicle. Cleveland was told to place her hands on the dash in front of her. Hunter opened the door a second time and the officer pushed the door closed.

The officer radioed for backup to be sent due to Hunter and Cleveland failing to comply. KPD says as a backup unit approached with sirens and lights activated, Hunter lunged through the driver side window towards the officer, who stepped back and shot Hunter once in the upper left shoulder. EMS was called and transported Hunter to Baylor Scott & White in Temple.

During medical treatment, KPD says medical staff found and removed a baggie of suspected crack cocaine that was wedged between Hunter's buttocks. A search of the vehicle revealed a handgun and suspected narcotics including crack cocaine, marijuana and MDMA (ecstasy), pending lab results.

Hunter was charged with possession of a controlled substance over four grams under 200 grams, and Cleveland was arrested for an outstanding warrant out of Harris County for prostitution, fail to identify fugitive and possession of marijuana under two ounces.

The officer, identified by KPD as Devonte Johnson, has been with the department for three years. The investigation is still ongoing by the Texas Rangers and the Killeen Police Department Internal Affairs Unit continues its administrative review.