Two rookie cops responding to a burglary call accidentally went to the wrong Fort Worth house and ended up shooting the homeowner due to "poor lighting," a police affidavit claims.
Despite being sent to investigate a possible break-in at 409 Havenwood Lane, Officers B.B. Hanlon and R.P. Hoeppner "inadvertently began searching" [PDF] across the street at 404 Havenwood instead.
The early morning hours of May 28th provided little natural light for the officers, and the affidavit says there was "no lighting around the home" of 72-year-old Jerry Waller and his wife Kathy, "and the officers had only the use of their flashlights."
Facts get a bit murky after that.
The officers allege that they encountered Waller standing outside his garage with a .38-caliber handgun, and identified themselves. They insist they only shot Waller after he pointed the gun at them.
But Waller's family tells a different story.
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