A Dallas County grand jury on Thursday declined to indict a man police arrested in connection with a fatal shooting in downtown Dallas in the spring, records show.
Alton Williams, 25, had faced a murder charge in connection with the death of Thomas Boose, 24, on April 13 until the grand jury returned a “no-bill” on Thursday, meaning it declined to indict him after reviewing the evidence.
Claire Crouch, a Dallas County district attorney’s office spokesperson, declined to comment Monday afternoon on the decision. Williams’ attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
The circumstances leading to the decision are unclear. Grand juries are empaneled in secret to review the work of investigators and prosecutors and decide whether there is sufficient evidence to merit a trial on criminal charges.
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Dallas police were called at about 10:20 p.m. on April 13 to a shooting in the 400 block of North Harwood Street, where officers found a man had been shot, according to a police news release at the time.
The man, identified as Boose, was transported to a hospital, where he died. The next day, police arrested Williams in connection with the fatal shooting, police said.
According to an arrest-warrant affidavit, part of the rationale for Williams’ arrest was surveillance footage that showed the driver of a Volkswagen sedan — whom the detective believed to be Williams — parking on North Harwood Street and then walking away.
The Volkswagen was registered to Williams, the officer wrote in the affidavit.
The footage then shows Boose “getting in and out of the vehicle over the next 50 minutes” with a backpack before Williams returns, the affidavit says.
After a discussion, the footage shows a struggle between the two as the man identified by police as Williams attempted to open the Volkswagen’s door.
The man is then seen shooting Boose before driving away, the affidavit says.