A Texas man who is accused of a Thanksgiving killing of a Texas Police officer had a history of mental health problems after three combat tours in Iraq according to his family.

The police officer, Damon Allen, 41, pulled over Dabrett Black, 32, in a routine traffic stop near Fairfield, Texas. During the stop, police say Black shot at Allen several times with a rifle, killing him. Black then drove away and was captured by police after a brief shootout, according to WFAA, a Dallas Texas, ABC News affiliate.

His family said that Dabrett Black was a deeply disturbed man after returning from war.

“He left here a perfect young man, but he came back all messed up,” said his father John Black to WFAA.

Dabrett Black’s family said that after his less than honorable discharge in 2012, they feared the worst for him. They said that he had memory loss, slept with guns and thought he had a chip implanted in his head and was being followed.

Dabrett Black’s estranged wife told WFAA his issues began during his second tour in Iraq — when a bomb blew up an army truck giving Dabrret Black a traumatic brain inject and tearing off the leg of one of his best friends.

“He hasn’t been right ever since,” the wife said. She asked that her name not be used. They have two daughters and separated three and half years ago.

“I told him he wasn’t right in the head and they should probably get him some help,” she said.

Some of Dabrett Black’s fellow soldiers felt the army had failed him.

“There’s thousands of us roaming the states who have not been treated because the Army felt its quicker to kick you out than to get you help,” said Matthew Chappell who served with him to USA Today.

Chappell medically retired from the army and spoke highly of Dabrett Black.

“He was a dang good soldier, a good leader and an overall good guy,” said Chappell.

Randy Newman, Dabrett Black’s sergeant, said that his mental health issues caused him to lose rank and that the Army did not get him the help he needed.

“I saw him lose rank because of his issues. He went from being a [non-commissioned officer] to being a soldier and then after that, he was just kept getting busted down until he had no rank anymore,” said Newman. “Instead of them helping them, they pushed him to the side. They pretty much wrote it off as you’re crazy and on top of being crazy, you’re faking it.”

Less than honorable discharge also meant that Dabrett Black could not access VA care.

Dabrett Black also had a few run-ins with police before. He was charged with charged with evading arrest, aggravated assault against a public servant and reckless driving in July. Dabrett Black led police on a car chase after a routine stop and struck an officer’s car. Dabrett Black also was accused of hurting a public official in 2015.

RELATED STORIES
Thanksgiving Iraq