A live report from a Dallas, Texas television station appeared to show a Dallas police officer carrying what may have been alcohol bottles out of a destroyed liquor store right after the October 20, 2019 tornado.
You can watch the video, from WFAA-TV, later in this article. According to the television station, the Dallas police force is now investigating what the officer was doing with the bottles. WFAA reported that they appeared to be alcohol, although that hasn’t been confirmed.
In the video, you hear the television journalists discuss the tornado damage, as the officer appears to carry bottles and set them on the ground. “It is wiped out. There is somebody with the Dallas Police Department, and it looks like he’s removing some of the bottles that must have been scattered in the mix,” a journalist says. The reporter says that the video is live from a damaged liquor store. The anchor then responds, “Like pickup sticks there. Unbelievable damage.”
Here’s the video:
People on social media sent the video viral, with some questioning whether the officer was “looting” the store; however, what the officer was actually doing with the bottles has not yet been determined.
Here’s what you need to know:
People Flooded the WFAA Comment Thread, With Some Saying They Were Watching the Moment Live
The comment thread on the WFAA story about the police investigation has more than 1,000 comments. Some people said they’d watched the moment live.
“I saw this live this morning when it happened and I think the cop was surprised when the car pulled in and shined the lights on him. Something didn’t seem right about it I’ve never seen a cop neatly stacking stuff from a store,” wrote one man.
“It says the officers were checking buildings to see if people were trapped inside. It was Sunday. Liquor store was closed alllll day. I seen this last night while watching the LIVE feed. ?? Perfect Timing WFAA. Never missing a beat,” a woman wrote. “He was prolly carrying it to safety or something along those lines…” said another.
The tornado caused severe damage throughout the north Dallas and Richardson areas. People lost their homes. Some people were sent to the hospital with minor injuries. A Home Depot was leveled. Schools were closed. It was, in essence, a very serious matter that required the attention of rescue workers for hours.
“An NWS survey team has determined that the estimated maximum winds for the tornado in North Dallas is 140 mph, consistent with an EF-3 rating,” the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office wrote on Twitter. NWS also shared this map:
You can see photos and videos showing the damage here. The violent twister struck the Love Field area around 9 p.m. on October 20, 2019. “At 9:26 PM CDT, a confirmed large tornado was located over Richardson, moving northeast at 25 mph. This tornado has produced damage on I-635. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!” NWS reported on the night of the twister. Northway Church in Dallas was badly damaged, and a Home Depot took a direct hit. You can see photos of the Home Depot damage here.
READ NEXT: The Tornado’s Path.