SHOOTING SUSPECT CONDITION UPGRADED; LEAD INVESTIGATOR NAMED

The condition of a Plano man wounded during a police raid on his residence
has improved, hospital officials said Wednesday. David Neff, of 6300
Walling Lane, reportedly suffered multiple gunshot wounds after he
allegedly wielded an assault rifle when Texas Department of Public Safety
and Plano police officers entered his home on a drug search warrant.

"His condition has been upgraded from critical to good," said Parkland
Memorial Hospital spokesman Eric Wesley.

Police have withheld charges against Neff pending his release from the
hospital.

Three of Neff's acquaintances who were in his home at the time of the raid
were charged with possession of more than 2 ounces of marijuana and
released on bail.

In another development, the Plano Police Department said Det. Cindy Bennett
is leading the department's investigation into the Oct. 15 confrontation.

Internal investigations of police shootings are mandatory and may be
referred to a grand jury.

The search warrant was served at Neff's home just east of Prestonwood
Country Club, as part of an ongoing investigation.

Neff allegedly sold steroids, which were also recovered at the scene,
police said.

Both DPS and the Plano Police Department declined to release the names of
the officers who shot Neff while the investigation was under way.

William Bryant Harrison, 20, one of the other three men in the home, whose
pant leg was torn by a bullet, has alleged that Neff was shot so many times
it was "amazing" he lived.

Police and hospital staff declined comment.

Police have indicated that Neff "was not necessarily facing the same
charges" already lodged against the other three defendants.

Another issue in the investigation is whether police identified themselves
before entering the property.

Police have denied an allegation that they failed to identify themselves
before entering the property.

Harrison has also said Neff had a weapon because "guns and a computer" were
taken from his home about two weeks earlier and that the theft had left him
"paranoid."

Neff was also installing alarms and surveillance cameras, said Harrison.

Three investigations are under way - the Plano police probe of DPS
shootings; an internal DPS investigation of the shootings; and the DPS
investigation of the four suspects.