Texas Cop Who Fatally Shot Woman While Aiming at Dog Found Not Guilty of Murder

A former Texas cop, who killed a woman while trying to shoot at a dog, has been found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide.

Former Arlington police officer Ravinder Singh, 28, was on trial after he shot 31-year-old Margarita Brooks to death during a welfare check in August 2019, WFAA News reported.

Bodycam footage released then showed the moment the Texas cop did a welfare check. Arlington police received a call about a woman who passed out on the grass near a shopping center at Cantor Drive and North Collins Street.

When Singh was asking the woman if she was okay, a dog rushed toward him, and he fired shots. One of the bullets hit the woman in the chest.

Brooks later died due to her gunshot wounds. A Tarrant County grand jury had indicted the former Texas cop for criminally negligent homicide in September 2020. He faced up to two years in prison. But on Monday, a jury ultimately found him not guilty.

Former Texas Cop Found Not Guilty of Murder

The defense argument has persuaded the panel that the shooting had been an accident and happened during a moment of "acute stress."

The incident also involved a "double ricocheted bullet" that first hit the dog and a sidewalk before it struck Margarita Brooks' chest.

The jury was composed of eight women and four men, who all deliberated for about 10 hours before it reached the verdict after a four-day trial. According to Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Ravinder Singh read a statement outside the courtroom after the verdict.

The former Texas cop, who resigned from the Arlington Police Department in November 2019, offered condolences to Brooks' family and loved ones for their loss. He said he has also been at a loss due to the consequences of his actions, which were "not easy to bear."

The defense argued that when Singh fired on the dog, he experienced tunnel vision, a phenomenon in which a person under stress' brain focuses only on an immediate, grave threat. Defense attorney Kathy Lowthorp noted that it was a fluke, an accident, and "accidents happen."

Former Texas Cop Accidentally Shot Woman

Margarita Brooks was a mother of three who seemed to be homeless. She was often seen walking with her boyfriend and her dog, which was a lab mix and weighed about 40 lbs, People reported.

Brooks' family also filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the former Texas cop in July 2021. They were seeking $2 million in damages.

Brooks' father, Troy Brooks, said there was no winner in the situation. He noted that Ravinder Singh was a young man, and the incident had changed the course of his life.

However, Troy added that their family could not get Brooks back. Singh graduated from the police academy in February 2019 and completed field training on July 1, a month before the shooting.

The footage showed that the Texas cop was calling out to Brooks, asking her if it was her dog when the dog ran towards him.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Jury Finds Former Arlington Officer Ravi Singh Not Guilty in the Murder of Margarita 'Maggie' Brooks - From CBSDFW