Body and dash camera footage from law enforcement officers captured the events leading up to the attack. death of Dallas Cowboys player Marshawn Niland earlier this month.
The 24-year-old man was found dead in the early hours of November 6 after being chased by officers attempting a traffic stop in the suburb. Dallas. Police say Niland committed suicide.
Authorities were initially unaware that the man they were pursuing on the evening of November 5 was Niland, initially believing the car he was driving was stolen. After the driver abandoned the vehicle following the crash, authorities learned that Niland was the suspect. His family and friends feared he might be harmed as he sent them farewell messages. They contacted authorities to find him.
Soldier with Texas According to the crime report, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) began pursuing Niland's vehicle at 10:33 p.m. that day. The officer said Niland's car was reaching speeds in excess of 145 mph, but other troopers in body camera footage released by DPS said they believed the chase reached speeds of up to 160 mph.
The officer lost Niland's car, but it was later found around 10:45 p.m. after colliding with a truck in the Dallas suburb of Frisco. Police said Niland's car was abandoned, but they found an empty holster inside, leading them to believe the driver was armed. At the time, police and officers did not know who the suspect was, initially believing the vehicle may have been stolen.
Around 11:20 p.m., DPS officers and Frisco police officers searched for Niland in the woods and in a series of drainage tunnels under the sidewalk. “If you're in this tunnel, I'm going to send my dog down here. It's going to bite you. This is your last chance,” Officer Frisco said.
Authorities later fired pepper balls into the tunnels and sent a drone in, but Niland was not found inside.
By 1 a.m. on November 6, authorities learned that Niland was the driver and briefly detained but did not charge his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera. She arrived at the search site, but did not initially tell authorities about her relationship with Niland. Authorities later said Mancera worked with officers to find Niland.
Other footage showed law enforcement officers searching the area saying Niland was the criminal. NFL player and that he wrote a farewell message to family members. Niland's body was discovered about 30 minutes later.
On Monday, Mancera wrote in a Facebook post that she still thinks Niland will walk through their front door.
“My sweet boy is truly gone. I would do anything to hug you one more time and tell you how much you mean to me. But now you have to watch over me and wait for me on the other side. I will see you again,” Mancera wrote.
The Cowboys said a memorial fund has been set up to support Mancera, who is pregnant with the couple's child.
His Cowboys teammates paid tribute to the defensive linemen after his death. “We love Marshawn and we will continue to shine a light for him. We are fortunate to carry his light forward,” Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott said last week.
