Police chase ends in shooting in NE Houston
Monday, November 22, 2010
Officer opens fire on chase suspect
Carjacking turns into police chase
Sonia Azad
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police are once again looking into a shooting involving one of their own officers. Police say the officer is the one who opened fire on a suspect at the end of a police chase in northeast Houston overnight.Authorities said it all started around 1:30am as a carjacking. There was a man who told police he was forced to drive to a Wells Fargo ATM off the Eastex Freeway and withdraw cash. When officers arrived, they saw two cars leaving the parking lot. One of those was the victim's gold Dodge Stratus so officers tried to pull that car over but the driver sped up and led officers on a chase.
The officers followed the suspects to the Las Palmas Apartments. Two men ended up jumping from the vehicle and tried to run away from authorities. At that point, a K-9 unit and a helicopter were on the scene searching for the men. Authorities found the men, hiding behind a house on Rhobell and Deanna.
"He gives the suspect commands to stop which he ignores and continues to run and jump fences, our officer follows him," said HPD spokesperson Victor Senties. "As he is about to make contact with him, the suspect turns suddenly in a very aggressive manner towards the officer and reaches into his waistband as if he is going for some kind of a weapon."
At that point, the police officer fired his gun several times, according to police. He shot the suspect in the leg. That man was taken to Ben Taub Hospital. He is expected to be fine and will be taken into police custody. The second suspect was arrested nearby without incident.
Authorities are combing through the neighborhood, searching for weapons and possibly cash as part of their investigation.
The officer and the carjacking victim were not injured.
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