Mineola officer in fatal shooting back on duty

By Phil Major
publisher@wood.cm
Posted 1/26/23

Mineola police officer Tucker George has been identified as the officer who shot and killed a shoplifting suspect, who reportedly tried to run over the officer as he was exiting the patrol vehicle, and then fled north on Hwy. 37.

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Mineola officer in fatal shooting back on duty

Posted

Mineola police officer Tucker George has been identified as the officer who shot and killed a shoplifting suspect, who reportedly tried to run over the officer as he was exiting the patrol vehicle, and then fled north on Hwy. 37.

Robert Vancleave was shot on the square in Quitman Thursday, Dec. 22 after his pickup spun out at Hwy. 37 and Hwy. 154 and he exited the vehicle. 

He had led police on a 100-mile-per hour chase after being confronted in the Walmart parking lot.

George exited the patrol unit in which he was the passenger and fired shots at Vancleave, who died at the scene just feet from the courthouse.

Tucker’s identity was learned through a public information request to the city. He was placed on administrative leave following the shooting and was back on duty Jan. 18.

The city was also requested to release its use of force policy and pursuit policy. Both were refused by city attorney Blake Armstrong, citing Texas Government Code Chapter 552.108(b)(1).

That exception concerns “internal records and notations of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors when their release would interfere with law enforcement and crime prevention.”

The request was forwarded to the Texas attorney general’s office for a ruling.

Prior attorney general’s rulings have upheld withholding the use of force policy and portions of the vehicle pursuit policy.

However a number of Texas police agencies publish both policies on their websites where any member of the public may access them, in the interest of transparency.

The custodial death report filed by the city with the attorney general’s office stated that Vancleave did not display or discharge a weapon.

The incident is being investigated by the Texas Rangers.