Mom: Man accused in fatal cop shooting depressed

Published April 7, 2012 11:45PM (EDT)

DALLAS (AP) — The mother of a man charged in the fatal shooting of a Texas police officer says her son is a talented software engineer who has been struggling with depression for months after a bitter breakup with his longtime girlfriend.

Mary O'Dell spoke with The Associated Press on Saturday from Colorado, where she lives. She says she talked with her 24-year-old son, Brandon Montgomery Daniel, on Thursday night and that he'd been taking Xanax and drinking tequila.

Daniel was arrested early Friday following the shooting of Austin Senior Police Officer Jaime Padron. Investigators say Padron was shot while struggling to subdue a potentially intoxicated man at a Walmart. Daniel was booked on a capital murder charge.

O'Dell says she has "nothing but a deep-felt pain" over the officer's death.


By Salon Staff

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