Former Dallas officer who fatally shot neighbor in his apartment found guilty of murder

(Image credit: Tom Fox/AP)

Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer who fatally shot her neighbor in his apartment, has been found guilty of murder.

The guilty verdict came Tuesday after a week-long trial, and Guyger now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, NBC News reports.

Guyger, who is white, was arrested in September 2018 after fatally shooting Botham Jean, who is black, in his apartment, which is located one floor above hers. She was off duty at the time and coming home from a 13-hour shift. She testified during the trial that she mistakenly entered the apartment believing it was hers and shot Jean, who was unarmed, because she was "scared" and thought he was an intruder. The shooting sparked protests and after an internal investigation led to Guyger's firing from the Dallas Police Department.

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The jury, which CNN reports deliberated for less than 24 hours, also had the option of finding Guyger guilty of manslaughter.

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.