Gun-wielding man shot to death by Rosenberg police suffered from mental illness, fiancée says
ROSENBERG, Texas (KTRK) -- A Rosenberg woman has identified her fiancé as the man police shot and killed Friday outside a laundromat.
RELATED: Video released after fatal officer-involved shooting in Rosenberg
Tory Casey, 41, was doing laundry with his fiancée, Rashida Ferguson, when she said his mental illness began to surface. Casey had a gun and started shooting into the air and threatening other customers, according to Ferguson.
"I told them to run," one customer told ABC13. "Run for your lives, and we ran along that fence there, and he said, 'Hey you, I'm going to shoot you.' I ran around the corner, and I was calling 911."
Video taken by witnesses showed part of what happened as Casey opened fire.
"I almost got shot, so of course I was scared," Ferguson said. "I was scared and worried about everybody else to make sure nobody got shot."
When officers arrived, Ferguson said Casey refused to put down the gun. That's when officers shot him.
"I knew they had to [contain] the situation because other people were at risk, but they could have just stopped him," Ferguson said. "They didn't have to kill him. There were too many bullets. The second round was not called for, and they're experts on shooting. This is their job."
Rosenberg Chief of Police Jonathan White confirmed that three officers were placed on standard administrative leave as the investigation continues by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.
As authorities work to outline what exactly happened, Ferguson is left to grieve and wonder what could have been done differently.
"They need to learn how to deal with people with mental issues because you see this time and time again," Ferguson said. "And mental health is a big deal in Texas."
