Harris County deputy fatally shoots Atascocita man, pit bull

by Kevin Reece / 11 News

Posted on April 9, 2010 at 7:42 AM

Updated yesterday at 8:56 AM

ATASCOCITA, Texas—A Harris County Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed an armed suspect early Friday morning in Atascocita.

A Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Christina Garza said deputies responded to reports of an assault at Mulligan’s, a bar on FM 1960, shortly after midnight. The investigation took them to a home in the 3800 block of Beckett Ridge, just south of Will Clayton Parkway.

Garza said when one of the deputies, a 19-year veteran, knocked on the front door of the home, the homeowner came to the door armed with a rifle.

The deputy was able to get the suspect to put the rifle down, but the two men began to argue.

Garza said the deputy then reached for his Taser and fired it at the man, but it had no effect on him.

As the struggle continued, Garza said the suspect gained control of the Taser and tried to place it against the deputy’s shoulder. According to the sheriff’s office, that’s when the deputy stepped back and fired several shots from his service weapon in self-defense.

The suspect collapsed and died near the front doorway of the home.

Garza said the homeowner’s large pit bull, agitated by the confrontation, became aggressive, and the deputy was forced to shoot and kill the dog as well.

The deputy was not injured.