A Mexican national, Jose Santiago Pantoja-Morales, aged 27, has been indicted on federal firearms charges after allegedly shooting a Dallas school police officer on 6 August. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on 16 September, charging him with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The incident occurred when the uniformed officer, who was on routine patrol, stopped to offer assistance to Pantoja-Morales after he had jumped into a freeway's centre median. The officer's decision to help resulted in serious injury when Pantoja-Morales allegedly grabbed the officer's gun during a struggle and fired once, striking the officer in the femoral artery of his right leg.

During the ride to safety, Pantoja-Morales allegedly began searching through the officer's bag in the back seat. When the officer pulled over to remove him from the vehicle, a physical struggle ensued. Despite being wounded, the officer regained control of his weapon and Pantoja-Morales fled the scene, only to be quickly apprehended by law enforcement. The injured officer received immediate medical treatment from another DISD officer at the scene before being transported to Parkland Hospital. If convicted on the federal firearms charge, Pantoja-Morales faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison.