DALLAS – The Dallas Police Department sadly announced that a veteran officer who was involved in the fatal shooting of a murder suspect earlier in the week has died by suicide.
A department spokesperson confirmed Wednesday afternoon the death of Officer Matthew Bacon, an 18-year veteran who died of an apparent suicide, NBC 5 DFW reported.
Officer Bacon and one other DPD officer were named in the officer-involved shooting (OIS) that occurred on South Tyler Street Monday morning. Investigators obtained an arrest warrant charging 36-year-old Corey Thomas with murder. Law enforcement personnel, including the U.S. Marshals Service, approached Thomas who was sitting inside a pickup truck.
Task force officers approached Thomas’ truck and tried to block his escape with their vehicles when the shooting took place.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Thomas produced a firearm and took aim at arresting law enforcement personnel. Officers fired, striking Thomas who was later pronounced dead.
Tragically, two days after the OIS, Officer Bacon died by suicide, officials confirmed.
Former first responder Ray Schufford is the founder of 2 The Next Shift. The outreach organization supports police and firefighters with their mental health needs, NBC 5 reported.
Schufford could not speak to the specifics of Officer Bacon’s case. Nevertheless, decades of experience with police and fire personnel gives him a unique perspective.
“I would tell that first responder to reach out and talk to someone, anyone willing to help and someone who is willing to build a relationship with you,” he said. “Because they deal with so much.”
