Police Officer Shoots Man Who Attacked Him

A police officer shot and wounded a man who attacked the officer at the Timewise convenience store in Flatonia on Monday, according to Flatonia Police Chief Lee Dick.

Dick said a Lavaca County constable who was at Timewise called police shortly after 5 p.m. to report a man “in crisis.” Officer Wilbert “Billy” Kalina responded to the store and found a subject who was threatening to commit suicide. Dick said the subject was in possession of weapons.

“The subject was taken into custody, not for a crime, but to get a mental health evaluation,” Dick said. “During the course of it, there was an attack on the officer.”

Dick said the subject was placed in handcuffs with his hands behind his back. But the subject was able to get his cuffed hands to the front of his body without the officer noticing. When Kalina re-approached the subject, he attacked, biting Kalina on his arm. The subject attempted to strangle Kalina with his hands around his neck, Dick said.

Kalina drew his weapon and fired at the subject. Dick said the subject suffered a grazing wound. Kalina, along with several bystanders, subdued the subject. Kalina and the subject were transported to different hospitals. Both were treated and released, Dick said. The subject was arrested for attacking the officer and transported to the Dan R. Beck Justice Center in La Grange.

Dick said the Texas Rangers are investigating the incident, which he said was his department’s standard policy for officer-involved shootings. The Record attempted to contact the Rangers for additional information, but they had not responded at the time of this publication.

According to records from the Fayette County Jail, the subject arrested in Flatonia was Brandon Durst, 33 of San Antonio.

“The Flatonia Police Department would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the bystanders who assisted the officer, the Fayette County Sheriffs Office, Fayette County EMS, the Schulenburg Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety and DPS Texas Ranger Division,” Dick said in a statement on Tuesday. “Thank you to all who have expressed support and offered assistance.”