Woman discharges officer’s gun during arrest

TYLER – The Tyler Police Department has released body cam footage after a woman grabbed an officer’s firearm and discharged it during an altercation on Sunday afternoon. According to the department and our news partner KETK, around 2:09 a.m., officers responded to a theft at Dollar General on 306 W Gentry Parkway and the officer located two suspects nearby at Albertson Avenue and Whitten Avenue. Officials said that while one complied with the arrest, Brianna Nicole Erwin tried to walk away and resisted when ordered to stop.

“Erwin continuously thrashed about, twisting her body, biting and pulling her arms away from officers,” an affidavit from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office said.

“During the struggle, a backup officer arrived to assist with the arrest. The suspect continued to resist arrest and grabbed an officer’s firearm, discharging the weapon,” the police department said. “To prevent further escalation and the use of deadly force, an officer quickly utilized a closed-hand strike. Shortly afterwards, the suspect was taken into custody.”

According to the affidavit, during transport, Erwin “shouted profanities and racial slurs” at officers. “Erwin then turned her face toward me and spit in my face,” an officer said inside the affidavit. “I felt salvia on my cheek.”

The police department said Erwin claimed to be pregnant and was looked at by paramedics before being transported to the Smith County Jail, where medical staff conducted a secondary evaluation. Erwin was arrested on charges of outstanding warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of aggravated assault of a public servant, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, evading arrest/detention, harassment of a public servant, and theft-related charges remain under investigation.

“Tyler Police are committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates as the investigation progresses,” the department said.

The Tyler NAACP President Lisa Williams spoke with KETK on Tuesday about videos of the recent arrest of Brianna Erwin, which have been making the rounds on social media.

“I visited her May the 12th, once I saw the video on social media,” Williams said. “I reposted the video because I didn’t know who it was and that was my main concern. Who was she?”

During her visit with Erwin, Williams said she learned that Erwin wasn’t pregnant as she was heard stating in videos of her arrest. Williams said the force Tyler PD used against Erwin was excessive for a young woman.

“That was excessive force for a lady that was too much,” Williams said. “Now, we had an incident with a guy that went down 69 and shot at police officers. He went down 69. He don’t have a black eye.”

Williams is requesting that Tyler Police Department release all of the body camera footage from Erwin’s arrest, not just the clip that’s already been shared.

“I want to see the body cam footage from the beginning to the end. Because I feel like that’d give light on what took place. We’re getting bits and pieces,” said Williams.

Next, Williams plans to meet with the Tyler Chief of Police to discuss the protocols used in Erwin’s arrest.