A Timeline of Events Surrounding the Murder of Texas Tech Police Officer Floyd East, Jr.
Nineteen-year-old Hollis Alvin Daniels has been charged with Capital Murder of a Peace Officer following the campus-wide manhunt on Monday night that ended with his arrest.
A second-year freshman at Texas Tech University, Daniels was taken to the campus police station Monday evening for potential drug possession when he allegedly pulled a gun and shot an officer in the head, killing him.
A native of Seguin, Texas, Daniels was previously arrested by Texas Tech police in September of 2016 on a marijuana possession charge.
Here is a current timeline of the shooting incident that occurred Monday night and some incidents involving the suspect the day before.
Sunday evening into Monday morning, October 8th-9th: Lubbock Police Department received a report of a stolen firearm hours after the fact. This happened around midnight to 1 a.m., said Lubbock Police Chief Greg Stevens at a press conference. Stevens said the initial responding officer also met with the person who reported the firearm stolen, taking reports for both a stolen weapon and a terroristic threat allegedly made by the suspect.
Monday, October 9th, 1:18 a.m: An LPD officer notices a vehicle matching the suspect's vehicle description. Officers search the driver, Hollis Alvin Daniels, but do not find a weapon. Officers request consent to search his vehicle. Daniels refuses and says he doesn't have a firearm. Officers determine they did not have the probable cause required to search the vehicle or enough evidence to get a warrant to search it. The officers attempt to bring a drug dog in to sniff the vehicle, but one isn't available.
"Ultimately, it would have been unconstitutional for the officers to search the vehicle. There was no arrestable charge, there was nothing to hold the individual on at that time, so they released him," Chief Stevens said.
Monday afternoon, October 9th: Reports were made to the Texas Tech Police Department about Daniels' welfare.
Monday evening, October 9th: Texas Tech police officers, including 48-year-old Floyd East, Jr., respond to a check welfare call. Upon arriving at the empty dorm room, the officers discover drug paraphernalia. Daniels arrives after the officers are inside the room and is arrested. Officers take Daniels to the Texas Tech Police Department.
Monday, October 9th, 7:44 p.m.: During the booking process, Daniels allegedly pulls a gun and shoots Officer East in the head, killing him. A .45 caliber shall casing was found near where the officer was shot, but it's not believed to have come from Officer East's gun, which was still in his holster. The officer's body camera is missing.
Monday, October 9th, 7:46 p.m.: Lubbock Police Department receive a shots fired call from Texas Tech.
Monday, October 9th, 7:49 p.m.: Lubbock Police Department officers arrive on campus. The Lubbock County Sheriff's Office, Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, FBI and ATF agents assisted with locking down the area to locate the suspect.
Monday, October 9th, 8:23-8:26 p.m.: Texas Tech University sends out a campus-wide emergency notification via Twitter, informing students and the public of an active shooter at large and initiates a campus lockdown. A phone call about the shooting went out to students at around 8:24 p.m. and an email went out around 8:26 p.m.
Monday, October 9th, 9:08 p.m.: Daniels is first spotted on campus.
Monday, October 9th, 9:18 p.m.: Reports of a second sighting of Daniels.
Monday, October 9th, 9:26 p.m.: Daniels is taken into custody near the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum.
Monday, October 9th, 9:34 p.m.: Campus lockdown is lifted and all-clear is given.