Longview police department

A Texas Police Chiefs Association Foundation

Recognized Agency

Officer Involved Shooting (Press Release)

by Chief Don Dingler, Wednesday January 28, 2014.

On January 22, 2015 at 6:28 p.m., Kristiana Coignard entered the Longview Police Department
lobby and picked up the afterhours phone that rings to Public Safety Communications and asked
for help. When asked what she needed she refused to tell the communications operator what the
problem was. Police Officers were dispatched to the Police Department a short time later. When
Officer Glenn Derr arrived Coignard indicated to Officer Derr that she had a gun, which resulted in
a physical confrontation when Officer Derr attempted to secure Coignard. During the physical
confrontation Officer Derr determined she had a large butcher knife which she was attempting to
pull out of her waistband. Officer Derr was able to disengage from Coignard. Officer Gene
Duffie entered the lobby during the confrontation and drew his taser. While Officer Grace Bagley
was entering the Police Department lobby she saw Coignard had a knife. As Coignard charged
Officer Derr with the knife in a threatening manner, Officer Duffie deployed his taser at Coignard
with no effect. Officer Derr then discharged his weapon three times. Officer Bagley fired her
weapon twice. EMS was summoned to the scene and Coignard was transported to Good
Shepherd Medical Center at 6:45 p.m. She was pronounced dead by Justice of the Peace
James Mathis.
Longview Police immediately locked down the front area of the Police Department to secure the
scene.
As is the case with all officer involved shootings resulting in serious bodily injury or death an
investigation is being conducted by the Department of Public Safety Texas Rangers. The
involved officers have been placed on paid administrative leave.
As this is an active investigation and additional information may be released as the investigation
allows. The case will be presented to the Gregg County District Attorney for review upon
completion.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the involved officers and the family of Ms. Coignard.

Longview Police Department

P. O. Box 1952
Longview, TX 75606
903-237-1199