Washington: The Arlington, Texas police department on Tuesday fired a white officer who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Christian Taylor in a car dealership, its chief said.
The case, which attracted widespread attention, took place on Friday, two days before the one-year anniversary of the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri.
Taylor, 19, was a star college football player at Angelo State University.
Police chief Will Johnson told reporters that rookie police officer Brad Miller -- who was still in what police call field training -- shot Taylor on Friday inside a car dealership, after police responded to a call for a suspected burglary there.
"This is a extraordinarily difficult case," Johnson said. "Decisions were made that have a catastrophic outcome."
Johnson said there were several instances of bad judgment by Miller that led to his being fired.
Miller`s tactical misjudgement in the shooting officially led to his firing, but the fact that Taylor was shot and killed did play a role in the chief`s decision, police spokesman Christopher Cook added.
The case may be given to a grand jury but no charges had been filed as of Tuesday.
Johnson also said the FBI, cooperating in the case, would "act accordingly if it`s determined that a civil rights violation occurred."
Outrage over the police killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, and other unarmed African Americans has been channeled into a sustained nationwide movement, with the social media hashtag #BlackLivesMatter becoming its rallying cry.