UPDATE: Smith County issues statement in deputy-involved shooting

UPDATE: A legal representative for Smith County has issued a statement following the press conference on Tuesday:

“Smith County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call for help from a local business alleging that a disgruntled former employee might return to his former workplace and potentially commit a violent act. When officers went to the former employee’s home, he eventually came to the front door with a gun. Upon seeing the former employee holding the gun and recognizing a significant threat, the deputy fired. Unfortunately, the former employee died. The deputy who fired was cleared of any criminal charges by a grand jury.

Smith County, Sheriff Smith, and the deputy look forward to presenting all evidence to the court and are confident that the evidence will show that the deputy acted correctly when faced with a difficult, rapidly evolving set of circumstances.”

TYLER – Lawyers for Jonathan Layton’s family, who died following a deputy-involved shooting in Lindale, will hold a press conference on Tuesday at 11 a.m. to share “never-before-seen” evidence.

The family alleges that Jonathan was unlawfully shot and killed by Smith County Sheriff’s Deputy Braylon Barnes.

“A lawsuit will be filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleging that Deputy Barnes used excessive and unconstitutional deadly force when he shot Jonathan three times, including once in the back, as he retreated into his home to put away a pistol he legally possessed.”

In November 2024, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office responded to a threat call at a business in Lindale. The caller said Jonathan Layton had recently been terminated and had made threats that “he was going home and would return to the business to kill them.”

Before officials arrived, Layton had left the business, and a description of his vehicle was released. A responding deputy noticed the suspect vehicle headed south on US 69 before receiving the information.

Officials attempted to contact Layton at the 13200 block of CR 4109 east of Lindale and found his vehicle in the front yard of a residence.

“When deputies attempted to contact Layton at the residence, he turned around holding a handgun pointed in their direction. One of the deputies fired at Layton with his duty weapon, incapacitating him,” Smith County officials said.

Medical personnel were called to the scene and took Layton to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.