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Grand Jury: Officers Justified in Handling of Deadly CS Shooting

By: Steve Fullhart and Selina Affram Email
Updated: Fri 7:57 PM, Oct 05, 2012

Timeline of Shooting
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  • 12:11 p.m. - first 911 call received
  • 12:14 p.m. - officers arrive on shooting scene, come under fire
  • 12:18 p.m. - more units arrive, set up perimeter; Ofc Oehlke shot
  • 12:28 p.m. - officers work to reach civilian victims
  • 12:30 p.m. - SWAT teams arrive
  • 12:35 p.m. - suspect shot

A Brazos County grand jury has cleared College Station police officers of any wrongdoing in the August shooting that left a constable and a bystander dead.

By rule, any officer-involved shootings are presented to a grand jury, which considered the circumstances in the August 13 incident on Fidelity Street. Brazos County Constable Brian Bachmann was shot and killed as he delivered an eviction notice to Thomas Caffall III.

Caffall then shot down the street at two innocent bystanders, killing Christopher Northcliffe of College Station and seriously injuring Barbara Holdsworth of Houston.

As CSPD officers arrived on scene minutes after the initial shooting, Caffall opened fire on them. Officer Justin Oehlke was shot in the leg. Officers Brad Smith and Phil Dorsett received shrapnel injuries.

After a 25-minute standoff where shots were exchanged, Caffall was hit by police and later died of his injuries.

"We, the Grand Jury, found that all action taken by law enforcement was justified," reads a statement. "On behalf of the community, we would like to thank law enforcement and commend it for its skills and courage. We would also like to extend our condolences for the victims' families."

Caffall's family later revealed that he suffered from mental illness.Yellow ribbons are now on trees in front of the house to mark this tragic day which left both the Bachman and Christopher Northcliffe dead and three others injured.

Months later, yellow ribbons, now on trees in front of the house are a reminder of this tragic day.

Police Chief Jeff Capps and critical management team are helping officers get through this tough time..

"This type of incident just has an impact with so many in the community and for us and our staff we want to work with them to help them move past this," said Jeff Capps, College Station Police Chief.

The district attorney's office will take no further action on this case as a result of the decision.


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