A Dallas man, Michael Fagan, 30, has pleaded guilty to charges related to shooting at an ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) agent during a road rage incident. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Leigha Simonton, made the announcement on Tuesday.
Fagan had been charged via a criminal complaint in April 2023 and was subsequently indicted in May 2023. He entered a guilty plea to one count of assaulting a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez on Tuesday.
According to court documents related to his plea, the incident occurred on April 6, when an ATF agent stopped at a red light at the intersection of Garland Road and Gaston Avenue in East Dallas. The agent noticed Fagan, who was the driver of an SUV, exhibiting erratic behavior inside the vehicle, including yelling and flailing his arms. Concerned that Fagan might be in distress, the agent rolled down his front passenger window and asked if Fagan was okay.
Fagan responded by opening his driver-side door and began shouting incoherently at the agent. The agent instructed Fagan to return to his vehicle. Fagan complied, but he leaned over the passenger seat and turned around to face the agent while holding a black semiautomatic pistol.
In response, the agent took cover by ducking below the dashboard, and he heard the discharge of a firearm. The agent drew his weapon and fired three shots, striking Fagan once.
Following the shooting, Fagan fled the scene, but he was later apprehended after being admitted to Baylor Hospital for treatment.
Michael Fagan now faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.
