"There is no crueler tyranny than that which is exercised under cover of law, and with the colors of justice ..." U.S. v. Jannotti, 673 F.2d 578, 614 (3d Cir. 1982)
Definition of: “hom·i·cide”
1. the killing of one human being by another.
2. a person who kills another; murderer. Dictionary.com
2017 – Officer-involved Shootings
To date there have been 2 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 1 civilian killed and 1 wounded. No officers have been true-billed.
2. 1/3/17 – Byron Hall, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified HCSO PD officer.
1.
1/1/17 - Juan C. Cuadra, shot and killed by an unidentified HCSO PD officer.
2016 – Officer-involved Shootings
To date there have been 39 officer-involved shooting, resulting in 14 civilians killed and 25 wounded. No officers have been true-billed.
39. 12/10/16 – Rommel Perez, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified SOH PD officer.
38.
37. 12/5/16 – Francisco Solais, seriously wounded when shot at by two HPD officers Daniel Guzman and John Brown.
36. 11/28/16 - Brandon Ortez, seriously wounded when shot at by HPD officer Jesse Penna.
35.
34.
33. 10/30/16 – Elrey Gonzalez, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified Baytown PD officer.
32. 10/19/16 – Carlos Briones, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified Pasadena PD officer.
31. 10/13/16 – Casey Brown, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Jason B. Loosmore.
30. 10/6/16 – Rick L. Hall, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified Harris County Sheriff's officer.
29.
28.
27. 9/7/16 – Josheph Mayorga, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified Harris County Sheriff's officer.
26. 8/15/16 – Unidentified person, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified Harris County Sheriff's officer.
25. 8/13/16 – Terry Foster, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified Pct. 3 officer.
24. 8/8/16 – Dejuan Richardson, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified Harris County Sheriff's officer.
23. 7/24/16 – John Baldwin, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Ryan Naughton.
22.
21. 6/7/16 – Earl Brown, was shot and killed by Houston PD officer Kimmy Green.
20.
19. 5/24/16 – Lonnie Giles, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer David Vega.
18. 5/20/16 – Dustin Salinas, wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Julian Rodriguez.
17. 4/28/16 – Donsha Adams, wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Christian Dorton.
16.
15. 4/17/16 – Marcus Harris, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Rene Mesa.
14. 4/11/16 – Terrence Small, seriously wounded when shot at by an unidentified Baytown police officer.
13. 3/20/16 – Jonathan Sanchez, seriously wounded when shot at by 2 Houston PD officers Hector Diaz and Roland Benavides.
8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.
8. 3/13/16 – Reginald Williams, shot at by an unidentified HCS officer.
7. 3/12/16 – Marco Loud, shot at by an unidentified HCS officer.
6.
5. 2/24/16 – Luis Albarran, wounded when shot at by an unidentified HCS officer.
4.
3. 2/13/16 – Trayveon Johnson, wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Hilario Torres.
2. 2/5/16 – Alejandro Blanco, wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Kelly Huey.
1. 1/27/16 – Anthony Chapman, seriously wounded when shot at by Baytown PD officer Barry Calvert.
2015 – Officer-involved Shootings
To date there have been 48 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 18 civilians killed and 30 wounded. None of the officers has yet been true-billed.
48. 12/29/15 – Joshua Jones, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Casey Curry.
47. 12/25/15 – Jerome Moore, wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer J. Walsh.
46. 12/12/15 – Fernando Guerrero, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Mark Alva.
45.
44.
41, 42 and 43. 10/30/15 – Eugene Berry, b/m, killed, Brian Crawford, b/m, killed and Donte Anderson, b/m, wounded when shot at by Houston PD officers James Sanders, w/m, and Travis Curtner, w/m. (media reports)
40.
37, 38, and 39.
36. 10/9/15 – John Garza, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Rodrick Caldwell. Officer Caldwell was "No Billed" on 4/20/16.
32, 33, 34 and 35. 10/9/15 – Michael Robinson, Jordan Freeman, Larry Eagans and Albert Sherman. Robinson was seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer, John Yencha. Freeman, Eagans and Serman were not injured. Officer Yencha was "No Billed" on 4/22/16.
31. 10/6/15 – Dexter Martin, seriously wounded when shot at by HCSO officer Deshawn Davis. Officer Davis was "No Billed" on 4/20/16.
30. 9/5/15 – Jeramia Allen, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Robert Pilling. Officer Pilling was "No Billed" on 3/23/16.
29. 8/27/15 – Alan Pean, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officers Oscar Ortega and Roggie Law. Both officers were "No Billed" on 11/17/15.
28.
27. 8/3/15 – James Gressett, wounded when shot at by HSCO officer Daniel Best. Officer Best was "No Billed" on 2/19/16.
26.
24. & 25. 7/22/15 – Helder Flores and Anton Mawhood, seriously wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Thomas Harris. Officers Harris was "No Billed" on 3/18/16.
23.
22.
21.
20.
18. and 19. 5/23/15 – Christopher Quintana, h/m 34 yrs old, charged with theft and Ryan C. Polk (aka) Pogue, w/m 25 yrs old, charged with evading arrest. Quintana was wounded when shot by 23 yr. veteran HCSO Victor Sanders. Officer Sanders was "No Billed" on 12/22/15. (media reports)
17. 4/17/15 – Melony Garcia, wounded when shot at by Houston PD officer Ruben Estrada. Officer Estrada was "No Billed" on 12/1/15.
16.
b/m 41 yrs old, unarmed was killed when he led police on a high-speed chase after being pulled over for a traffic stop that ended when he slammed into another vehicle. He was shot by 2 Houston PD officers Lee Ingle and Roberto Gonzalez. Both officers were "No Billed". (media reports)
15.
14. 4/12/15 – David Chartier, wounded when shot by HCSO officers Eli Claiborne and Keith Maeweather. Officers Claiborne and Maeweather were "No Billed" on 12/10/15.
13. 4/2/15 – Derron Livingston
b/m 26 yrs old, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Carl Sanders. Officer Sanders was "No Billed" on 12/29/15. (media reports)
12.
11. 3/5/15 – James Sanchez, wounded when shot at by 3 Pasadena PD officers Dana Bearor, Victor Yanez and Jeffrey Mubarak. Officers Bearor, Yanez and Mubarak were "No Billed" on 8/19/15.
10.
9. 2/15/15 – Saul Danny, seriously wounded when shot by Tomball PD officer Johnny Sampson. Officer Sampson was "No Billed".
8. 2/11/15 – Jason Jackson, seriously wounded when shot by Humble PD officer Thomas Hudson. Officer Hudson was "No Billed" on 8/5/15.
7.
6.
5. 1/16/15 – Marcus Kees, wounded when shot by HCSO officer Kelly Huey. Officer Huey was "No Billed" on 11/30/15.
4.
3. 1/14/15 – Rudy Garay, wounded when shot by and Pasadena PD officers Douglas Burchart and Nicholas Hurst. Officer Hurst was "No Billed" on 9/30/15.
2. 1/19/15 – Ismael Garcia, seriously wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Ramnik Saini. Officer Yencha was "No Billed" on 10/30/15.
1. 1/9/15 – Omar Campos, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Luis Castillo. Officer Castillo was "No Billed" on 5/18/16.
2014 – Officer-involved Shootings
In 2014 there were 45 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 20 civilians killed and 25 wounded. None of the officers has yet been true-billed.
45. 12/17/14 – Brian Stansbury, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Luis Castillo.
44. 12/15/14 – Jerome Bryant, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Alberto A. Pizana.
43. 12/12/14 – Michael Walker, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers Mario Montano and Joseph Pritchett.
42.
41. 11/9/14 – Saturnino Cantu, wounded when shot by two unidentified HCSO officers and one unidentified Aldine ISD PD officer.
40. 11/14/14 – Rickie Cooper, wounded when shot by an unidentified Aldine ISD PD officer.
39. 11/3/14 – Jerrail Woods, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Dao Nguyen.
37. & 38. 10/12/14 – Steve Acosta and Eloy Martinez, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer James Garris.
36.
35.
34.
33. 9/26/14 – Richard Jarvis, wounded when shot by Baytown PD officer Kevin Chenevert.
32. 9/22/14 – Christopher Mitchell, wounded when shot by two Houston PD officers Robert Arriaga and Corey Harrington.
31.
30.
29. 8/18/14 – Libny Zambrano, wounded when shot by two Pct. 4 officers Oscar Muniz and Letonya Journet.
28.
27.
26.
25. 8/1/14 – H. Thompson, wounded when shot by Pct. 1 officer Rudy Guillen.
24. 7/29/14 – Bryan Monje-Ramos, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Mark Contreras.
23.
22.
21. 5/4/14 – Jarvis Jones, wounded when shot by HCSO officer John Gonzalez.
20.
19. 5/1/14 – Bryan Williams, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Scott Shannon.
18. 5/1/14 – Alexis Garcia, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer J. Cuffy.
17. 4/9/14 – Michael Mitchell, wounded when shot by HCSO officer Louis Medina.
16. 4/7/14 – Sean Marceaux, wounded when shot by Pasadena PD officer Michael Cooper.
15. 3/18/14 – Anthony E. Moore, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Eugene Williams.
14.
13.
12.
10. & 11. 2/9/14 – Walter Jones II, and Christian Franklyn wounded when shot by HCSO officer Glenn Shaft.
9. 2/27/14 – Dwayne Cormier, shot by Houston PD officer Steven Gallagher.
8.
7.
4. 5. & 6. 2/9/14 – M. Rivera, R. Zelaya, and L. Aquino, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer James Johnson.
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1. 1/14/14 – Dionysios Spiro Kosmetatos, h/m, 36, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Patrick Woods. When officers responded to a domestic disturbance and began talking to the woman, they say Kosmetatos rushed from an apartment with a knife and lunged at them. Woods shot twice, hitting him in the wrist and leg. (media reports)
2013 - Officer-involved Shootings
In 2013, there were 43 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 18 civilians killed and 25* wounded. None of the officers has yet been true-billed.
43. 11/19/13 – Denzel Smith, 21, wounded when shot by unidentified Pct. 8 deputy constable. Deputies responded to report of a man shooting a gun, and found him standing in water with a gun. They claim he would not surrender, and turned with the gun pointing toward them. The unidentified deputy then shot him in the shoulder. (media reports)
42. 11/3/13 – Demontre D. Bridges, b/m, 17, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer M. Rivera, a 4-yr vet assigned to Southwest Patrol Div. Officers located Bridges in a stolen car and followed him into the parking lot of an apartment complex. When they tried to arrest him, a struggle ensued and Rivera claims he feared for his life, so he shot at Bridges; the bullet grazed his chest. (media reports)
41.
40. 9/30/13 – Rosel Joel Agurcia-Garcia, h/m, 24, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Jason E. Draycott, a 28-yr vet currently at South Gessner Patrol Div. Police received a call about a disturbance, possibly with weapons. When Draycott arrived, Garcia broke a window and climbed out of the apartment. Draycott ordered him to get on the ground, but says he instead broke out more glass from the window and began approaching him with a glass shard. Draycott shot, hitting him “more than once.” (media reports)
See also, 12/20/91 – Rosalind Joyce Bell, 24, known by police to be mentally ill, shot in the side and spine and left paralyzed from the waist down by Houston police officer Jason E. Draycott and his partner, Anthony R. Pisaro. (media reports)
39. 9/26/13 – Hardy G. Moore, b/m, 24, wounded when shot by Houston PD office J. Rosemon, a 3-yr vet assigned to the Gang Div. Officers saw two men standing in the street; as they approached, they say the men ran in different directions. Rosemon claims that as Moore was running, he put a gun under his arm and shot (backwards) at him. Claiming he feared for his life, Rosemon shot Moore in the back (“more than once,” according to the HPD report). (media reports)
See also, 10/11/12 – Rosemon, then still a rookie cop, shot and killed Kenneth Brian Releford, unarmed and mentally ill. (media reports)
38.
NOTE: This shooting is very similar to that of Wilfido Joel Alfaro on 3/5/09. (media reports)
Also see: 3/23/2013 – N. Thibodeaux, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers S.J. Hamala and T. Warren (media reports);
11/4/2012 – Brandon Obermiller, killed when shot by Houston PD officer S.J. Hamala (media reports);
3/27/2010 – Undercover Houston PD officers S.J. Hamala involved in the killing of Rosalio Ledesma (media reports);
5/24/2008 – S.J. Hamala shoots Dora Sublett (media reports), and
8/1/2006 – S.J. Hamala shoots Steven Ferel (media reports).
37.
36. 9/13/13 – Salvador Vasquez, h/m, 23, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer N. Escobar, a 28-yr vet assigned to Northeast Patrol Div. Vasquez and a companion had broken into a vehicle and were still in the parked vehicle when police arrived. As his companion was arrested, Vasquez took off in the car, and a brief chase ensued before he crashed. He then began running on foot. Escobar claims he turned toward him with a gun in his hand, so he shot him. Another report says a gun was tossed onto the roof of a nearby building. (media reports)
35.
33. & 34.
32.
NOTE: Interesting that Medina’s partner, a cop with more experience, didn’t shoot.
31. 8/22/13 – Eric Jordan Tucker, b/m, 32, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers B. Foltz (19-yr vet) and J. Ngar (6-yr vet), both from Westside Patrol Div. When officers responded to a robbery call and broke through a locked door, Tucker began walking toward them with his hands up. Foltz searched him, then handcuffed him with his hands behind his back. Tucker told them he had an accomplice in the back of the store, so Ngar went to investigate while Foltz stayed with Tucker. Once Ngar was gone, Tucker stood up and allegedly pulled a gun from his pants and began shooting at Foltz, who returned fire as Tucker ran toward an exit. Ngar saw him and also shot at him as he continued running. He was found nearby, wounded in both an arm and a leg. There was no accomplice. (media reports)
30. 8/11/13 – John Alexander, 17, wounded when shot by HCSO deputies T. Robinson, J. Baker and J. Suazo. Deputies responded to a burglary call at an auto yard and found four male teens stealing gas and parts. Two of them jumped over the fence and fled; Alexander and a 13-yr-old got into a pickup, ramming a patrol car as they tried to drive away. All deputies shot at them, wounding Alexander when a bullet grazed his head. (media reports)
See also, 7/3/12 – Robinson and Suazo kill Jesus Rivera.
29.
28.
27. 7/1/13 - Calvin Jenkins, wounded when shot by Humble PD officer J. Manning. (media reports)
26.
25. 6/15/13 - Dhafir Rasheed, b/m, 34, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer G. Potter. (media reports)
24. 5/31/13 - Kevin Conard Jones, b/m, 21, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer R. Mason (4-yr vet, Westside Patrol). Officers attempting to serve a warrant said that Jones opened the door and pointed a pistol at them, and Mason shot him. (media reports)
23. 5/18/13 - Alex Chavez, wounded when shot by DEA agent M. Buchert. (media reports)
22. 5/2/13 - Carnell Marcus Moore, b/m, 29, wounded when shot in the shoulder by Homeland Security agent M. Malmquist. Moore simultaneously shot himself in the head, killing himself. (media reports)
21. 4/30/13 – Joe Ibera, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff‘s deputy A. Thompson (an undercover narcotics officer), who saw Ibera breaking into a truck at a high school. After a brief chase, Ibera got out of the stolen truck and began running toward the deputy’s vehicle. He allegedly had a large shiny object in his hand, and Thompson, claiming he feared for his life, shot him — in the buttocks. The shiny object was a large pair of pliers. (media reports)
20.
19.
18. 4/25/13 – Bradley Cherry, wounded when shot by Pasadena PD officer P. Ruffin.
17. 4/11/13 – Damien Lewis, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer M. Hernandez.
16. 3/23/13 – Niles Elias Thibodeaux, b/m, 43, critically wounded when shot by Houston PD officers S. Hamala and T. Warren. Officers had responded to a domestic disturbance, and heard a gunshot from inside the home. SWAT officers arrived and a standoff ensued. Thibodeaux eventually ran out the back door; officers say he pointed a gun at them, so they shot him. Thibodeaux’s father was found inside the home, dead from a stab wound in the chest. (media reports)
See also, 11/4/12 – Hamala shoots, kills Brandon Obermiller;
3/27/10 – Hamala involved in the killing of Rosalio Ledesma;
5/24/08 – S.J. Hamala shoots Dora Sublett;
7/31/07 – Warren kills Reginald Lee Sumbler; and
8/1/06 – S.J. Hamala shoots Steven Ferel.
15. 3/21/13 – Edgar Omar Cuellar
h/m, 17 and known to be mentally ill, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers J. Salazar, E. Holland and D. Moreno. Two Jacinto City officers were questioning Cuellar at his home about a previous incident when Cuellar shot both officers. (One officer was not injured because of his bulletproof vest; the other officer was shot in the arm.) When an HPD SWAT team broke down the door and entered the home, Cuellar shot at them. He was wounded when the officers returned fire. It was later revealed that Cuellar had previously complained about treatment he received from one of the Jacinto City officers that he shot. (media reports)
14. 3/19/13 – George Ralph Benard, 38, critically wounded when shot by Houston PD officer F. Rodriguez, a 20-yr. vet, Narcotics Div. As officers began to search his home for narcotics, they say Benard ran to a bedroom and began to put his hand in his waistband. Claiming he feared Benard had a weapon, Rodriguez shot him. (media reports)
13.
12.
11. 3/3/13 – Keith Earl Turner
b/m, 46, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers S. Howze (a 4-yr. vet.) and B. Russell, Jr. (a 2-mo. rookie), both of Southwest Patrol Div. After responding to a call about a suspicious parked vehicle, the officers noticed the driver (Turner) making “suspicious moves.” When Turner got out of the truck with hands raised, the officers say he then pulled a gun from his waistband and began shooting at them. Turner was wounded when they returned fire. (media reports)
Also see: 6/19/12 – S. Howze wounded unidentified 32-year-old man.
10.
Comment: This is a shameful shooting that should not have happened over a bag of groceries.
9.
8.
7. 2/13/13 – Jan Michael Vincent
b/m, 32, wounded when shot at least once by Houston PD officer D. Morelli, a 7-year veteran of HPD. The officers say they smelled marijuana in a car near where Vincent was standing. When they ordered him to show his hands, they claim he instead got into the car and began rummaging around. They then ordered him to get out of the car, but said he continued searching from something in the car. Morelli claims he could have been searching for a weapon, so he shot him. No explanation was given for why a Taser wasn’t used instead of a lethal weapon. (media reports)
Also see, on 5/2/12 Morelli wounds Darrin Charlot.
6.
5. 2/3/13 – Carlist Ray Brinkley, Jr.
b/m, 33, wounded when shot in the leg by Houston PD officer J. Hicok. When a business owner saw someone trying to steal his van he called police. HPD officers E. Campuzano and L. Castillo were the first to arrive and saw Brinkley crashing the van several times while trying to escape. But when Hicok arrived, he claimed he thought Brinkley had a weapon, so he shot him. Brinkley was not armed. (media reports)
4.
3. 1/12/13 – Jamal Criss, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer S. Gromyko, a 4-yr vet from Northwest Patrol. Three men were robbing the store where Gromyko was working security, and Gromyko claims one of them pointed a gun at him, so he shot him. All 3 men fled, and it was not clear at the time that Criss had been hit. (media reports)
2. 1/12/13 – Grandon Xavier Murray, b/m, 23, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer S. Hope, who said that Murray approached him, acting suspiciously. When Hope told him he was a police officer, he claims Murray showed him a “weapon.” Hope then asks for help from two on-duty officers, who begin giving commands to Murray. Hope claims that Murray reached for his waistband so he shot him. (media reports)
Comment: This is another shooting where police officers’ aggressive commands escalate the incident. First, a pistol was allegedly found in Murray’s pocket. If so, then Hope should have seen him put it there after it was first shown to him. So why would he shoot Murray for “reaching” for his waistband, knowing that the pistol was in his pocket. And of the three officers, apparently only one, Hope, felt threatened.
1. 1/4/13 – William Akin, wounded when shot by Pct. 7 deputy constable M. Hartley, a 26-year veteran. Police had stopped Akin for a traffic violation, but he sped off before the officer approached. A chase ensued, and when Hartley heard he was approaching his area, he stood in the road with gun pointed at Akin’s car. Akin did not stop, and Hartley fired several shots into the car, hitting Akin in the leg. (media reports)
2012 - Officer-involved Shootings
In 2012, there were 55 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 25 civilians killed and 30 wounded, including a 14-year-old boy and at least 3 that were mentally ill. None of the officers has yet been true-billed.
55.
54. 12/27/12 – Lee Otis Brooks aka Jamal Saints, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Shannon Farguhar, who suspected him of being involved in narcotics activity after seeing him get into a car. Farguhar ordered him out of the car, but claims Brooks instead drove toward him. So Farguhar shot into the car, hitting Brooks several times. (media reports)
53. 12/24/12 – Harlem Harold Lewis, III.
b/m, 21, critically wounded when shot twice by Bellaire PD officers W. Bledsoe and D. Clawson. Lewis fled when Bellaire PD Cpl. Jimmie Norman tried to stop him for a traffic violation. He crashed into the dumpster of an auto body shop, and when Norman approached, ordering him to get out of the car, Lewis refused. When Norman tried to pull him out of the car, Lewis shot him, along with a bystander that tried to help, killing both of them. Lewis then ran, but was shot when officers Bledsoe and Clawson arrived and found him hiding nearby. Lewis is the 24th person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers. (media reports)
Cpl Jimmie Norman, Bellaire PD
52. 12/23/12 – Steven Gaydos, wounded when shot by TDPS officer A. Martinez.
51. 12/17/12 – Off-duty Harris County Sheriff’s deputy Jamarcus Lamark was charged with Aggravated Assault (Cause #1371594 in the 230th District Court) after shooting and wounding a family member. This case was not reported as an officer-involved shooting; no further details available. (media reports)
50.
See also, 9/30/12 – Hutchins shoots, wounds Jose Cruz.
49.
b/f, 27, shot and killed by off-duty Harris County Sheriff’s deputy Louis Campbell, II., (26-yr. vet.) working security at a Walmart store. Campbell suspected Frey of shoplifting and confronted her as she tried to leave a WalMart store. She hit him with her purse and ran to a car driven by another woman. Campbell followed, opened the driver’s door and pointed a gun at Frey, ordering her to get out of the car. When the driver began to drive away, Campbell claims he feared for his safety, and shot Frey in the neck. Frey is the 22nd person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer.
COMMENT: Is it worth killing someone over a few stolen items? Officers need to put things in perspective before pulling that trigger. (media reports)
48. 11/29/12 – Jacob Trevino
h/m, 33, wounded when shot in the thigh by Harris County Sheriff’s deputy L. Swearingen, a 19-yr. vet, who had responded to a silent alarm. When deputies arrived at the home they found Trevino and a partner exiting the home. Swearingen claims Trevino refused to drop a gun, so he shot him. (media reports)
47.
Also see, 3/23/13 – Hamala wounds N. Thibodeaux;
3/27/10 – Hamala involved in the killing of Rosalio Ledesma;
5/24/08 – S.J. Hamala shoots Dora Sublett;
7/31/07 – Warren kills Reginald Lee Sumbler; and
8/1/06 – S.J. Hamala shoots Steven Ferel.
46.
Hayes’ mom and grandmother surely told the officer that he was following them, so she should have been expecting a confrontation with him. Could she have used her taser, baton, pepper spray, TRAINING, instead of lethal force, since Hayes had no weapon. Why are police officers so afraid to confront a “suspect” without using their guns, even knowing that they’re unarmed – didn’t they learn how to take them down in cadet class? Or maybe they prefer to take the easiest way out — for themselves, anyway. Just wondering. (media reports)
45. 10/18/12 – Antonio Guevara, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff’s deputy A. Manzano.
44.
37, unarmed, killed when shot by Harris County Sheriff’s deputy, C. Gbunblee, who was serving an assault warrant. After Perkins’ girlfriend let him into their home, the deputy found him hiding in a closet. Told to show his hands, Gbunblee claims Perkins instead made a sudden move with a “shiny object” in his hand, and he shot him. The shiny object was a cell phone. Perkins is the 19th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer.
So, if an officer tells me to show my hands and I begin to comply while holding a cell phone, or anything that could be considered a “shiny object,” is it reasonable for that officer to “fear for his life” and shoot me? Just wondering. (media reports)
43.
b/m, unarmed and known by police to be mentally ill, killed when shot by Houston PD officer J. Rosemon. Releford had broken into his neighbors house, went to a bedroom and “groped” a young boy. The 87-yr-old grandfather then struggled with Releford, then Releford walked out of the house. The homeowner called 911 and when Rosemon arrived, it is reported that neighbors were shouting to him, saying he is mentally ill and don’t shoot him. Rosemon claims that Releford approached him with one hand behind his back, so he shot him. Witnesses dispute this, saying Releford’s hands were in sight. Releford is the 18th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
42. 10/9/12 – Kourtnay James Andrus
b/m, 21, critically wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff’s deputies K. Hudson and R. Nesby, who had responded to a silent alarm at a gas station. As they arrived Andrus and a companion were exiting the station, holding guns. Deputies claim Andrus turned toward them with his gun pointed toward them, and both deputies fired, hitting Andrus in the chest. (media reports)
41.
b/m, 45, killed when shot by Baytown PD officers Wes Pentecost, Kevin Davis, Robert Scott and Brad Turner, who had responded to a domestic disturbance call. When they arrived Grayson was driving away from the apartment complex. As officers gave chase they observed Grayson pointing a gun to his head as if threatening suicide. He crashed the car and the officers claim that when they approached, Grayson was lying down on the seat with a gun pointed at the window. He got out of the car and allegedly fired at the officers, who shot back, killing him. Grayson is the 17th person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers. (media reports)
40. 10/1/12 – J. Jefferson, wounded when shot by U.S. Customs & Border Protection Service officer John Caine. (No media reports found for this incident.)
39. 9/30/12 – Jose Cruz a/k/a Jose Estrada, h/m, 32, wounded when shot by Pct. 3 deputy constable J. Hutchins. Cruz had forced his girlfriend to leave a birthday party with him, holding a gun on her. When deputies arrived Cruz drove away with his girlfriend still in the car. He soon stopped, got out of the car and ran. Hutchins chased and caught him, then shot him in the stomach, claiming Cruz refused to drop his gun. (media reports)
See also, 12/15/12 – J. Hutchins kills Edward Turner.
38.
w/m, 45, unarmed and known to be mentally ill, killed when shot by Houston PD officer Matthew Jacob Marin, a 5-yr veteran. Officers were called to a “group” home after Claunch created a disturbance when the night caretaker refused to give him a soft drink and cigarette. Marin claims Claunch trapped his partner in a corner while brandishing an ink pen, and he feared for his partner’s life, so he shot Claunch – in the head. However, Claunch was a paraplegic, having only his left arm and leg, making it difficult, if not impossible, to create the situation described by Marin.
NOTE: In 2005, the Texas Legislature passed the Bob Meadours Act requiring law officers to take 16 hours of training in how to deal with mentally ill individuals. Houston is alleged to have the best mental health training program (Criitical Incident Team – CIT) in the country. This shooting indicates a severe training deficiency in HPD’s CIT program, and its policy to attempt rehabilitation of disciplined officers. It’s our opinion that officers such as Matthew Marin, who repeatedly use excessive and deadly force against citizens, should be fired and listed on a national registry of disciplined law enforcement officers to prevent their working in any other police department.
It is common for an officer to be “rewarded” after he has killed someone; in 2009 (the same year Marin killed Jose Oseguera), Marin was named HPD’s Officer of the Year.
Claunch is the 16th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
Also see, 10/9/09 – Marin kills Jose Oseguera; and
11/17/08 – Marvin Driver Jr. is severely beaten by Marin and other HPD officers.
37. 9/21/12 – Savorge Lee Curl, b/m, 30, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Dominique C. Moore, a 2-yr vet (South Central Patrol Div.) Police were searching for a man that had shot a woman; when Moore saw Curl (who allegedly fit the description of the shooter) walking down the street he drew his gun and ordered him to show his hands. Moore claims that Curl instead turned and shot at him, and Moore returned fire. (media reports)
36. 9/16/12 – Yoanis Vera, 26, unarmed and mentally ill, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers C. Meade (6-yr. vet.), C. Levrier (a rookie of less than one year) and A. Smith (3-yr. vet.), who responded to a call about a man with a gun. They found Vera and ordered him to raise his hands. When he instead allegedly pulled something from his waistband (a cell phone), all three officers, claiming they “feared for their lives,”shot at him, hitting him at least once in the leg. Police say they believe Vera made the call, planning to provoke a “suicide by cop” incident. (media reports)
34. & 35. 9/15/12 – Shane Parrish and Eduardo Herrera, unarmed, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer J. Seay (7-yr vet, South Central Patrol). Seay and another officer were working security at a restaurant and bar when a fight broke out. After removing the offenders from the bar, they allegedly repeatedly drove toward Seay, knocking him down. Seay shot into the car at least twice, wounding both Parrish and Herrera. The other officer did not fire his gun. (media reports)
33.
32. 9/9/12 – Leslie Charles Wilson, w/m, 39, unarmed, wounded when shot by off-duty Pct. 4 deputy constable J. Amaya, working security at a Walmart store. When told that Wilson had just stolen some merchandise, Amaya ordered him to stop; Wilson instead got into his car and allegedly reached under his seat. Amaya then claims he feared for his life, and shot at Wilson’s car several times. Wilson then recklessly drives away, hitting another car and knocking down a pregnant woman, but is later caught by HPD officers, who discover that he had been shot in the leg. (media reports)
31. 8/21/12 – Joshua Edward Williams
b/m, 23, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer M.P. Enriquez (5-yr. vet., North Patrol). When officers responded to a burglary they saw a speeding car leaving the area. After giving chase, the car stopped and Williams and others began to flee. Enriquez says Williams began shooting at him as he ran, and he returned fire, hitting Williams in the leg. (media reports)
30.
29. 8/3/12 – Matthew O’Hara
b/m, 21, unarmed, wounded when shot in the arm and leg by Harris County Sheriff‘s deputies P. Flores and R. Mitchell. O’Hara was burglarizing a house, unaware the homeowner was hiding in a closet with her cell phone. She called 911 as O’Hara was loading items into the homeowners vehicle. Deputies arrived as he began to drive away, and say he drove toward them, ignoring their orders, so they shot him. (media reports)
28. 7/29/12 – Travis Klekar, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer M. Lareau, whose family was at a restaurant when Klekar began waving a gun at patrons. When Lareau responded to his relatives’ phone call and came to the restaurant, he confronted Klekar with a gun. Lareau claims Klekar refused to drop his weapon, so he shot him. (media reports)
27. 7/29/12 – Dana Olson, 50, wounded when shot by Precinct 5 deputy constable J. Saavedra, who responded to a family dispute. Reason for shooting is not reported. (media reports)
7/30/12 – Shootings by HPD on the upswing – Houston Chronicle
26.
25.
24.
23.
22.
21. 6/19/12 – Unidentified 32-year-old man, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer S. Howze (3-yr. vet., Southwest Patrol), who found the man walking down the street and pointing a gun at passing cars. After ordering him to drop his weapon, Howze claims the man pointed the gun at him, and that’s when he shot him. (media reports)
Also see: 3/3/13 – S. Howze wounds Keith Earl Turner.
20. 6/7/12 – Jaime Gamboa, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff‘s deputies Michael Medina and Ed Payton, who responded to a burglary. When they arrived, deputies ordered the burglars to come out; as one of them came to the front door, one of the deputies shot at him, but missed. Ordered to get on the ground, Gamboa complied, but deputies claim he began to reach for a nearby gun, so they shot him. Medina was fired in 2013 for sexual misconduct while on duty. (media reports)
See also: 11/04/11 – Medina shoots Quentin Russell and Octavius Marshall;
03/09/11 – Medina shoots Charles R. Roy, Jr.;
06/29/10 – Medina critically wounds Diego Castellanos; and
06/17/09 – Medina wounds J. Garcia.
19.
NOTE: This shooting incident occurred outside Harris County, and is not reported by HPD and the DA as a local shooting.
18.
See also, 11/30/11 – Chapa kills Adam Garza.
3/26/11 – LeBlanc shoots, wounds 17-year-old Pablo Sabas Flores.
17.
16. 5/16/12 – Jerome Fisher Pleasant, b/m, 49, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Sean Jordan (4-yr. vet. NE Patrol). Pleasant had shot his girlfriend and her 13-year-old daughter during an argument. Pleasant left the apartment but was found later by officers; he began running, with Jordan pursuing. Jordan claims Pleasant pointed a gun at another officer, so he shot him. (media reports)
15.
14.
Pct. 4 deputy constable, Ted Dahlin
13. 5/2/12 – Darrin Charlot, 17, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers M. DeLaCerda and D. Morelli. Officers say they saw a man in an adult video store. When they entered the store, the officers say Charlot turned toward them with a shotgun in his hand, and they shot him several times. (media reports)
12. 5/1/12 – Joe Martinez, 14 and unarmed, critically wounded when shot by Pasadena ISD police officer Nathan Sexton (17-yr. vet.) Martinez was on school grounds where he had stolen some electronic items and was carrying them away in a backpack. Sexton responded to a silent alarm and saw him coming out of a portable classroom. He says Martinez refused his order to stop and, because he had his hands near his chest, Sexton claimed he thought he had a gun and shot him in the chest. (media reports)
11.
10.
9. 4/4/12 – Mark Vincent Ames
b/m, 23 and unarmed, wounded when shot in the shoulder by Houston PD officer Jeffery Rexroad (5-yr. vet., Westside Patrol). Ames had outstanding warrants for his arrest when officers spotted his car at an apartment complex. When he later drove away, officers followed, but Ames returned to his apartment and was trying to open the door when Rexroad confronted him. A struggle ensued, and Rexroad claims he thought Ames was reaching for a gun, so he shot him. (media reports)
8. 3/26/12 – Darrell Franklin Clay Jr., 20, wounded when shot by off-duty Metro PD officer Paul Martinez (8-yr. vet.), who was patrolling an apartment parking lot when he encountered Clay (who lived at the complex). Martinez says he smelled marijuana on Clay and when he tried to engage him, Clay began walking away. Martinez then claims Clay refused his orders and pulled a gun from his waistband, so he shot him – in the back. (media reports)
7. 2/26/12 – Hector Lopez Jr.
h/m, 19, unarmed, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officers W.T. Blevins and B.N. Graham, who say Lopez and a companion were breaking into cars in the parking lot of the club where they were working. As they approached Lopez, who was sitting in his car, they claim he began driving away, knocking down both officers. Blevins and Graham then shot at Lopez, hitting him once. The officers were not injured. (media reports)
NOTE: Despite HPD Chief Charles McClelland’s claim of transparency, no public information news release on this and other officer-involved shooting incidents was forthcoming from HPD. See “McClellan say (sic) transparency has been his priority since he became police chief.” (KUHF Radio 2/18/11)
6. 2/17/12 – Jeremy Perkins, w/m, 31, wounded when shot in the arm by Harris County Sheriff‘s deputy Robert Brown, a 26-yr. vet. Officers were following Perkins, who was wanted for drug trafficking. Perkins ran into a wooded area in an attempt to escape. When Brown confronted him in the woods he claims Perkins pointed a gun at him, so he shot him. (media reports)
5. 2/16/12 – Johnnell Elis Raglin, b/m, 69, wounded when shot by Houston PD narcotics officer Charles Willie Jones, Jr. (13-yr. vet.) As officers were serving a search warrant at Raglin’s apartment, Jones says when he opened a door he was confronted by Raglin holding a shotgun. Jones claims Raglin pointed the shotgun at him, and Jones shot him several times; Jones was not injured. (media reports)
See also: 8/11/08 – Jones shoots Malcolm McCloud.
4. 1/31/12 – Shane C. Phillips
w/m, 35, unarmed, critically injured when shot three times by Baytown PD officer I. Martinez. Phillips and his girlfriend had just broken up and he allegedly assaulted her. Police were called and when they arrived they found Phillips walking down the street. They say Phillips began throwing concrete rocks at them, so Martinez shot him. (media reports)
3. 1/29/12 – Amel Garza
21, wounded when shot by Baytown PD officer M. Coppock. Police say Garza was assaulting his girlfriend and when they arrived, shots were exchanged. A SWAT standoff ensued with Garza eventually being shot in the stomach by Coppock. (media reports)
2.
1. 1/7/12 – Deandre Bryant, unarmed, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer L. Ingle, who tried to stop him for a traffic violation. When Bryant crashed his car, he attempted to flee but was caught by Ingle. As the two struggled, Ingle pulled his gun and shot Bryant in the chest. (media reports)
2011 - Officer-involved Shootings
In 2011, there were 40 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 16 civilians killed and 29 wounded. Statistics for each agency are as follows:
40. 12/29/11 - Joshua Williams, b/m, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD Sgt. M. Dillingham (15-yr. vet, Gang Div.), who saw Williams burglarizing his car as he left a restaurant. When Dillingham identified himself as a police officer and drew his gun, Williams got into another car and began to drive toward Dillingham, who claims he thought he saw a gun in Williams' hand. Dillingham shot at the car several times. Williams got away, but was found later and arrested. (media reports)
39. 12/29/11 - Clemente Vela, h/m, 32, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer Julio Lopez, h/m, 29 (5-yr. vet), who was with friends and relatives at a local restaurant after leaving a nightclub. A witness says that when 3 other men came in (who also had been at a nightclub) and sat at a table next to Lopez, Lopez' group began making racial slurs toward Vela's group, and remarks and hand gestures were exchanged. Lopez says he went to his car to get his cell phone to call for backup, and also got his gun. He says when he began walking back to the restaurant, he saw Vela's group harassing and threatening his brother outside with a knife. Lopez says he fired his gun into the air several times, identified himself as a police officer, and ordered Vela to drop the knife. He then claims Vela charged at him with a knife, and he shot him -- four times. However, the witness says Vela complied with Lopez' order and had his hands up when Lopez shot him. He further says Lopez' group appeared to be drunk and started the incident. (media reports)
38.
Also see: 11/11/03 - Hampton wounds Louis Medlow.
37. 12/19/11 - Octavius Wade, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy M.C. Collier, who had responded to a burglary call. When deputies arrived at the home Wade allegedly tried to push past the officer at the front door. Officers claim the two struggled, and Wade was shot in the buttocks. (media reports)
36. 12/2/11 - Jerome Barrera Jr.
25, wounded when shot by South Houston PD Sgt. Enrique Guzman, IV. (6-yr. vet). Barrera was displaying a gun in the parking lot of a funeral home when officers arrived. When ordered to put the gun down, officers claim he refused and instead pointed it at them, and Guzman then shot him, hitting Barrera in the chest. (media reports)
35.
See also, 5/24/12 - Chapa shoots and wounds Kevin Bernard Hunter.
34. 11/21/11 - Joshua Anthony Twohig, w/m, 21 and mentally ill, wounded when shot by Houston PD bike officers A. Cantos and H. Lam (Special Operations; both 2-yr. vets). Twohig began shooting a rifle into the air and the pool at Tranquility Park, then put the gun at his head. Both officers claimed they feared for their lives and opened fire on Twohig, hitting him in the ankle and in the back; another bullet grazed his chest. A neighbor said Twohig was under a lot of stress because his wife had recently had surgery, and he had lost his job. His attorney says he intended to commit "suicide by cop." (media reports)
33. 11/21/11 - A. Thompson, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy G. Haselberger. DEA officers were trailing a truck filled with marijuana and driven by an alleged informant; they planned to arrest those who received the shipment. Instead, several vehicles began shooting at the truck in an attempt to intercept the shipment. When officers then shot at those vehicles, Anthony was hit in the leg. (media reports)
31. & 32. 11/4/11 - Quentin Russell and Octavius Marshall, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputies Michael L. Medina, S. Bowdoin, Adam Wright and C. Cole. Russell and Marshall had just robbed a pawn shop, and officers encountered them as they were getting into their car. When they tried to flee, the deputies all fired at their car, hitting both Russell and Marshall. Medina and Wright were fired in 2013 for sexual misconduct while on duty. (media reports)
See also: 06/07/12 - Medina shoots Jaime Gamboa as he surrenders;
03/09/11 - Medina shoots Charles R. Roy, Jr.;
06/29/10 - Medina critically wounds Diego Castellanos; and
06/17/09 - Medina wounds J. Garcia.
30. 9/14/11 - Lonnie Walker, 23, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy M. Gustafson. Walker and a companion had robbed a restaurant, and were confronted by deputies as they were leaving. Walker's companion was caught, but Walker fled. Claiming he refused orders to stop, Gustafson shot Walker from behind, hitting him in the leg. (media reports)
29.
28.
27. 9/6/11 - Jeremy Wyble, b/m, 23, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer J.J. Greenhaw (2-yr. vet, Northeast Patrol), who had stopped Wyble for a traffic violation. Three men got out of the car and fled, while Wyble allegedly pointed a shotgun at Greenhaw, who then shot Wyble. (media reports)
26. 9/3/11 - Crescencio Ramos, h/m, critically wounded when shot by Houston PD rookie officer R.J. Kamperman (1-yr. vet). Kamperman had detained another person when Ramos drove his truck into the back of his patrol vehicle. Kamperman claims Ramos then got out of the truck and "charged" at him with one hand behind his back; claiming he feared for his safety, Kamperman shot him. (media reports)
24. & 25.
Scott Webb
w/m, 40, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy M. Murphy. Officers say Boone and Webb had robbed two taquerias at gunpoint, and several patrol cars began chasing them. After Webb's car struck several vehicles, including two patrol cars, deputies say Webb continued to drive towards a third patrol car. Murphy claims he feared for his and others' lives, so he shot them. However, a witness says that Boone and Webb were shot after getting out of their car, unarmed. Boone is the 12th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
23.
22.
killed when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputies N. Parojcic, S. Leslie, J. Thomas and P. Bruce. Brito had been under surveillance for undisclosed reasons, and deputies were told to stop his car. He was quickly surrounded by several deputies, and when he tried to drive away the deputies opened fire, killing him. Brito is the 10th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
21.
20. 7/28/11 - Clarence Branford, b/m, 57, wounded by ricocheting bullet fired by Houston PD narcotics officer J.C. Oliver Jr. (8-yr. vet). While serving a search warrant, Oliver claims a dog attacked him, so he shot the dog with a shotgun. Branford was apparently struck by one of the shotgun pellets. (media reports)
19. 7/22/11 - Victor Hernandez, h/m, 20, wounded when shot by Pasadena PD officer M.T. Martin, who stopped Hernandez because he was driving erratically. As he approached Hernandez' truck, he pulled his gun and shot him in the jaw. Hernandez then fled, and a chase began, but he stopped a few miles away. No explanation was give by PPD for why Martin drew his gun. (media reports)
18.
17. 6/18/11 - John Michael Porter, w/m, 60, wounded when shot in the chest by Houston PD North Patrol Div. officers R. Pedraza (27-yr. vet) and S. Harvey (4-yr. vet). Porter was shooting a gun at his home; when officers told him to put the gun down, they claim he shot at them. (media reports)
16. 6/15/11 - Ramiro Ortiz, h/m, 18 and unarmed, wounded when shot in the back by Houston PD Northeast Patrol Div. officers Amna K. Ali (6-mo. rookie) and Gilbert Garcia Jr. (21-yr. vet). Ortiz and 2 companions were engaged in burglarizing a vehicle. When police arrived the 3 attempted to flee in a pickup truck that officers say was stolen. When the pickup rammed Ali and Garcia's patrol car, they jumped out and began shooting at the fleeing suspects, hitting Ortiz in the back. (media reports)
14. & 15.
13. 5/16/11 - Juan Jaimes, h/m, 21, wounded when shot by Houston PD Sgt. A. Elizondo, working off-duty at a Northwest Mall night club. Jaimes had fired a weapon and began driving through the parking lot of the mall. He lost control, and hit several cars. When he got out of his car, Elizondo, claiming he feared for his life, shot Jaimes, hitting him in the hand. (media reports)
12.
b/m, 20, killed when shot by Houston PD officers Fernando Meza (2-yr vet, working off-duty as a security guard), Timothy Moore, C.C. Thompson and B.L. Smith. Brown was attempting to board a bus to Georgia when a ticket agent saw a gun in his bag. The agent notified Meza, who shot Brown with a Taser when he refused to turn over his bag. As Brown fled, Moore, Thompson and Smith arrived, and gunshots were exchanged. Brown was hit in the side, and Meza and another officer received minor wounds. Brown was later found dead in a parking garage with a gunshot wound in his head. Police claim suicide. Brown is the 6th person known to have been shot to death this year in an officer-involved shooting by Harris County police officers. (media reports)
Also see, 10/30/10 - Ricardo Salazar-Limon, wounded when shot by officer C.C. Thompson.
11. 3/26/11 - Pablo Sabas Flores, h/m, 17, wounded when shot in the leg by Houston PD officer B.A. LeBlanc (2-yr. vet, North Patrol). Flores' father had allegedly assaulted his wife and was attempting to avoid arrest, with his son Pablo Flores driving his truck. When Pablo crashed the truck, he tried to run away. As LeBlanc was chasing him, he claims Pablo reached in his pocket, so he shot him. (media reports)
See also, 5/24/12 - LeBlanc shoots, kills Kevin Bernard Hunter.
10.
9.
See also, 6/7/12 - Medina shoots Jaime Gamboa as he surrenders;
11/4/11 - Medina shoots Quentin Russell and Octavius Marshall;
6/29/10 - Medina shoots Diego Castellanos; and
6/17/09 - Medina shoots J. Garcia.
7. & 8. 2/27/11 - Kimberly Roman and Valerie Gonzales, wounded when shot by Webster PD officer R.D. Berryman. Police were called to a nightclub disturbance; when they arrived, they found a melee had broken out. As they tried to stop the fighting, Berryman claims he was grabbed from behind and choked nearly unconscious. Roman allegedly was also attacking him, and he drew his gun. During the struggle, Berryman says his gun went off. It is unclear how Gonzales was wounded. (media reports)
6. 2/24/11 - Albelino Serrato Espinoza, h/m, 30, wounded when shot by Houston PD narcotics officers Nash E. Patel, 39 (13-yr. vet), B. Davis and W. Rios. Police were conducting a raid on suspected drug cartel members. When they broke into the house, they say Espinoza started shooting at them, and gunfire was exchanged. Patel was also wounded in the hip and elbow. (media reports)
4. & 5.
3.
w/m, 32 and mentally ill, killed when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer Raul Abdala, 36 (9-yr. vet). Nash and a family member were involved in a confrontation in their front yard. Abdala, who lives next door to the family, was asked by the family member to intervene. He says Nash refused to put down a knife and began to walk toward him. Abdala claims he feared for his life, and shot Nash, killing him. Nash is the 2nd person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
2. 2/7/11 - Jason Edwin Norman, 22 and known to be mentally ill, critically wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy G. Hardin (9-yr. vet). When officers responded to a domestic disturbance call, Norman, allegedly armed with a pistol and rifle, was in the home with his family. After trying to talk Norman out of the house, they say they heard a gunshot, and went inside. Deputies claim Norman then pointed a gun at Hardin, who shot him. (media reports)
Also see: 1/24/10 - Ashley Ginn, 21 and mentally ill, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy G. Hardin.
1.
h/m, 21, killed when shot by Humble PD officer D.G. Miller. Carlon and his brother were seen burglarizing a car. Carlon jumped into the pickup truck and urged his brother to drive away, but he refused and they sat there until police arrived. Miller then began attempting to break the window with his gun, and it fired, hitting Carlon in the head and killing him. Carlon is the 1st person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
2010 - Officer-involved Shootings
In 2010 there were 54 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 14 civilians killed and 40 wounded.
54.
b/m, 26, killed when shot by Houston PD officer C.D. Edwards, a 3-yr. vet. Butler was riding his bike about 7:30 pm, allegedly in the middle of the street and without a headlight. When officers began to arrest him, they claim he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a gun. Officers further claim he then pointed the gun at Edwards, who shot several times, hitting him in the head and killing him. Butler is the 14th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
53. 12/23/10 - Marvin Vega, wounded when shot by South Houston PD officer Martin J. Garcia. Vega, driving what police describe as a suspicious car, was briefly chased by Garcia and crashed his car in a ditch. Claiming Vega refused to show his hands, Garcia shot him in the shoulder. (media reports)
See also: 9/27/09 - Garcia wounds Juan Martinez.
52.
b/f, 20, killed when shot by Houston PD officer Dong Q. Hoang, a 9-yr. vet at Westside Patrol. Lee and a companion had robbed a man at gunpoint, then drove to an apartment complex nearby. The victim followed them and waited for police to arrive after he called 911. They found Lee and her companion sitting in their car, and ordered them out. Hoang said Lee was holding a gun when she got out and claims she tried to flee, then turned and pointed the gun at him. He fired once, killing Lee. Witnesses say she didn't have a gun, and was running away. Relatives describe her as "a sweet spirit who sought dangerous thrills." Lee is the 13th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
See also: 6/19/04 - Hoang critically wounds Maurice Baldwin Canty.
51. 12/12/10 - Thenhan Tran Huynh, a/m, 28, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officers M. Campbell (11-yr. vet, Tactical Operations) and R. Gibson (3-yr. vet, Southeast Patrol), who were leaving their security jobs near the Galleria. They heard gunshots and saw Huynh holding a pistol out the passenger window of a car. After identifying themselves as police officers, they claim Huynh reached down as if to retrieve his pistol, and they shot into the car several times, hitting Huynh in the neck. (media reports)
50.
49. 11/30/10 - Jaime Ibarra, h/m, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer M.S. Scales. Ibarra had caused a family disturbance, and police were called. Ibarra left the home, but was soon surrounded by the Houston PD SWAT team. Officers claim he pointed a gun at them, and Scales shot him. (media report)
See also: 1/11/09 - Scales shoots, kills Stephen Paul Greene (mentally ill).
48. 11/22/10 - Vernell Bazile, b/m, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer C.E. Dorton (NE Patrol, 2-yr. vet). Police officers stopped Bazile's car, believing him and his companion to be involved in several robberies. The men fled, and officers gave chase. Dorton claims Bazile turned and began to reach into his waistband; Dorton shot at him several times, hitting Bazile in the leg. (media reports)
47. 11/17/10 - Oliver Caldwell, wounded when shot by Houston PD Lt. S. Casko. As police officers were arresting 4 men for attempted burglary, Caldwell ran away. Officers began chasing him, and he allegedly turned and pointed a gun at Casko, who then shot him in the face. (media reports)
46. 11/9/10 Frederick Blue, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy M. Dearcos. Deputies had stopped Blue for a traffic violation, but they say when Blue got out of his car he ran away. As the deputies chased him, one claimed that he saw a gun in Blue's hand; that's when Dearcos shot at him, hitting Blue in the leg. (media reports)
45.
43. & 44. 11/5/10 - Max Nieto, h/m, 20, and Antonio Rodriguez, h/m, 16, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer B.R. Baker (7-yr. vet, Gang Div.) When officers interrupted a burglary in progress, Nieto jumped in his car and allegedly drove toward the officers; Baker fired several shots, but he got away. Police claim Rodriguez then reached for a gun at his waist, and Baker shot him in the arm and leg. Nieto was captured later; his wounds were not described. (media reports)
42. 11/3/10 - Morgan Chadwick Wilson, 21, (unarmed) wounded when shot by Houston PD officer M. Rivera (1-1/2 year vet, Southwest Patrol). When officers responded to an assault call, Wilson ran from the house and jumped over the fence. Rivera looked over the fence with his weapon drawn, and ordered Wilson to stop. He did, turned to face the officer and, according to Rivera, raised his right arm. Rivera claimed he thought Wilson had a weapon, and shot him twice - once in each leg. No weapon was reported to have been found. (media reports)
41. 10/30/10 - Ricardo Salazar-Limon, h/m, 25, (unarmed) wounded when shot by Houston PD officer C.C. "Charlie" Thompson (4-year vet), who stopped Salazar-Limon for speeding. Thompson says he smelled alcohol and when he attempted to arrest him, Salazar-Limon resisted and began running back to his vehicle. Thompson claims he thought Salazar-Limon was reaching for a weapon, so he shot him - in the back. (media reports)
Also see, 5/7/11 - Jesse Brown killed when shot by C.C. "Charlie" Thompson and other officers.
40. 10/26/10 - Rogelio Rodriguez, h/m, (unarmed) wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer R.O. Carreon (4-year vet), who was awakened by his car alarm. Carreon says he saw a man getting out of his (Carreon's) truck, and feared he had stolen his gun. Carreon claims the man then began walking toward his wife, so he shot him multiple times with a shotgun. (media reports)
39. 10/10/10 - Jose Edgardo Rivera, h/m, 21, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer M.T. Hardt, a one-year rookie. When Hardt responded to a "shooting in progress" call at a club, witnesses pointed him to 3 men walking down the street. Told to stop and show their hands, Rivera continued walking and entered the gate of a home. When Rivera turned after entering the gate, Hardt claims he feared for his life and shot him in the shoulder. Nobody else was harmed. Police say a gun was found on the ground near Rivera. (media reports)
38. 9/20/10 - Edward Tremayne Jamison
b/m, 34, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Eric V. Athmejvar, 24, a rookie cop since January this year. Jamison had blocked a street with his car, then allegedly approached a woman and pointed a gun at her. The woman managed to get away unharmed. As police were questioning the woman, Jamison returned and was identified by her. He then tried to flee, and Athmejvar, claiming Jamison tried to run over him, shot at him several times, hitting Jamison in the arm and hand. Jamison escaped, but later turned himself in. (media reports)
37. 9/14/10 - Jerome Goody, 23, wounded when shot by off-duty Harris County sheriff's deputy Mitchell Bettin. Goody and 2 accomplices tried to rob a bank, where Bettin was working as a security guard. A shoot-out ensued - Goody was shot in the leg and Bettin, in the hand. Goody escaped but was later arrested when he sought treatment for his wounds. (media reports)
36. 9/10/10 - Joel Andrew Bell, (unarmed) wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy D. Telles, who had stopped Bell's vehicle thinking it might have been involved in a robbery. A foot chase ensued, and Telles, claiming he thought Bell was armed and feared for his life, shot him. (media reports)
35.
34. 8/31/10 - Leonard Lee Allen, (unarmed) wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer S.C. Lameyer, who saw Allen and a companion breaking into a car. Lameyer shot at them, hitting Allen in the arm and leg. (media reports)
33.
32. 8/4/10 - Freeman J. Morrow, (unarmed) wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy S.D. Simpson. Deputies responded to "man down" call and found Morrow in his Jeep. Morrow refused to get out of his car and backed up, hitting one of the deputies, who shot at him. Deputies claim Morrow then tried to hit one of them as he drove forward; Simpson fired 8 times, hitting Morrow twice. (media reports)
31.
See also: 3/22/00 - Dudley shoots, kills Edwin Diaz.
30. 6/29/10 - Diego Castellanos, h/m, critically wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Michael Medina, who had responded to a call about a man in the street with a knife. Medina claims Castellanos refused to put the knife down and began to approach him, so he shot him. Medina was fired in 2013 for sexual misconduct while on duty. (media reports)
See also: 06/07/12 - Medina shoots Jaime Gamboa as he surrenders;
11/04/11 - Medina shoots Quentin Russell and Octavius Marshall;
03/09/11 - Medina shoots Charles R. Roy, Jr.; and
06/17/09 - Medina wounds J. Garcia.
29. 5/26/10 - Gene Horace II, b/m, 20, (unarmed) wounded when shot by off-duty rookie Houston PD officer Jason E. Rice, working security at his apartment complex. Rice allegedly found Horace burglarizing his car, and a foot chase ensued. Rice claims Horace turned and faced him and appeared to put his hand in his waistband, so he shot him - in the back. Rice has been with HPD less than a year. (media reports)
28. 5/23/10 - Unidentified man, 31, wounded by pellets from shotgun held by Houston PD officer K.G. Solis, 26, a 2-yr. veteran, who claims his gun accidentally discharged. (media reports)
27. 5/20/10 - Eddie Lee Moore, b/m, 37, wounded when shot by Houston PD vice officers B.L. Hall (17-yr. vet.) and K.L. Raven (8-yr. vet.). Officers were working a prostitution sting when Moore (the woman's alleged pimp) burst into the hotel room and shot at Hall. When Raven heard the shots from an adjoining room, he opened the door and shot Moore. (media reports)
See also: 01/27/99 - Hall wounds Robert N. Guthrie; and
07/06/05 - Raven wounds Ronald Hamilton and Shedrick White.
26.
25. 5/16/10 - Jeffrey Marlon Peterson, b/m, 37, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer E. Garza (4-yr. vet., Westside Patrol). When Garza stopped Peterson for a vehicle violation he became uncooperative, then got out of his car and allegedly charged at Garza, who Tasered him without effect. Another officer arrived and also Taserred him, without effect. Garza claims Peterson then went back to his car, retrieved a gun and pointed it at him. He further says both officers ordered Peterson to drop the gun and when he didn't, Garza shot him; the assisting officer did not fire her weapon. (media reports)
24. 4/24/10 - Dustin Williams, (unarmed) wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy K. Ontivares, an 8-yr. veteran. Williams was found asleep in his car, stopped in the middle lane of the North Freeway. Ontivares says he removed a gun that was in Williams' lap, which startled him. Because his car was blocked in the front by a wrecker, Williams threw the car into reverse. Deputy Ontivares dodged and drew his weapon. Then as he drove forward, Ontivares claims Williams tried to run over him and shot several times at the driver's door (against HCSO policy), hitting Williams in the arm. (media reports)
23.
22. 4/15/10 - Ayinde Ekundayo Jordan, b/m, 30, wounded when shot in the hip by Houston PD officer Tony Tomeo (13-yr. vet, Westside Patrol), who found Jordan holding and threatening a woman with a knife. When confronted by Tomeo, Jordan moved away from the woman and crouched nearby. Tomeo claims he refused to drop the knife, so he shot him. (media reports)
See also: 10/25/98 - Tomeo shoots and kills Derek Kaeseman.
21.
w/m, 26, killed when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy J. Garcia, who had gone to Brooks' home to investigate an earlier incident. Brooks came to the door, allegedly with a rifle, which Garcia convinced him to put down. Garcia claims that when he tried to arrest Brooks, he became combative and grabbed his Taser. He further claims that at the same time Brooks was urging his dog, a pit bull, to attack him, so he drew his gun and shot Brooks. Then he shot and killed the dog, which had not attacked him. Neighbors described the Brooks family as "real nice people," and the dog as being so docile that neighborhood children could pet him. Brooks is the 5th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
See also: 5/9/07 - Garcia shoots, wounds C. Bennett.
20. 4/3/10 - Faustino Espinoza, (unarmed) wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer Daniel Calballero, who found Espinoza asleep in his car with music blaring. After confronting him about the music Calballero claims Espinoza moved toward him and he arrested him. Espinoza turned away from Calballero after he handcuffed one of his hands. Claiming a struggle ensued, Calballero drew his gun and shot, hitting Faustino in the foot with bullet fragments. Espinoza was not armed. (media reports)
19.
See also: (Pisaro media reports)
S.J. Hamala and T. Warren wounds N. Thibodeaux; S.J. Hamala kills Brandon Obermiller 18. 3/26/10 - Gabriel Ali Henley, 19 and unarmed, wounded when shot by Baytown PD officer A. Corrales II, who had responded to a disturbance call at a birthday party. Police claim Corrales was knocked to the ground and partygoers were trying to take his weapons, so he drew his gun and fired twice at Henley, who allegedly was standing over him, hitting him in the abdomen. (media reports)
17.
b/m, 21, killed when shot by Houston PD officer J.P. Horelica (8-yr. vet., Midwest Patrol). Rogers and a companion had robbed a convenience store. As they were leaving, officers arrived and captured Rogers' companion. Horelica claims that Rogers pointed a gun at him, so he shot him. But the autopsy report states that Rogers was shot in the back. Rogers is the 3rd person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. Horelica was no-billed. (media reports)
Houston PD officer, J.P. Horelica
16. 3/7/10 - Moises Roman Mendez
h/m, 28, wounded when shot by Houston PD Sgt. Peter Morales and officers Shelby McDonald and Chad Nichols. Mendez had just robbed 3 businesses and was being chased by officers. When he crashed his car, the officers claim he emerged from the car with gun in hand, and they shot him, hitting him at least twice. (This incident is being investigated by the Montgomery County D.A.) (media reports)
15. 2/24/10 - Steven Sevan Guidry
b/m, 41, (unarmed) wounded when shot in the back of the neck by Houston PD officer Brendon Delon Green (14-yr. vet, Southeast Patrol). After stopping Guidry for a minor traffic violation, Green claims he refused to get out of his pickup, so he pulled him out. Then he says Guidry resisted and reached into his waistband. Green says he "feared for his life," and he shot him. A passenger with Guidry disputes Green's version of this incident, saying Guidry did not resist or struggle with Green. No weapon was reported to have been found in Guidry's possession. (media reports)
Also see: Excessive force charges against HPD Officer Brenton Green
14.
13. 1/24/10 - Ashley Ginn, 21 and mentally ill, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy G. Hardin. Ginn was threatening suicide, holding two guns at her head. When she turned to look at her mother, still pointing the guns at her head, the deputy shot her, in the hand and face. (media reports)
10. 11. & 12. 1/19/10 - Don Jamar Boston, 25, and Shuronda D. Johnson and Sunshine Randel, 26 and 27 years old, (unarmed) wounded when shot by off-duty Harris County Sheriff's deputies B. Ketrib and J. Denham. The deputies, who were not in uniform, claim they smelled marijuana coming from the car and started toward it. When one of the deputies told Boston to roll down his window, they claim Boston instead drove off. As he did so, the car ran over the deputy's foot and knocked him down. Both Ketrib and Denham fired several shots at the fleeing car, striking all 3 occupants. About an hour later, they arrested Boston after he called for medical help. No drugs or weapons were found in the car. (media reports)
See also: 11/29/08 - Denham wounds Charles Smith, mentally ill.
9. 1/18/10 - Mario Hector Deanda II, h/m, 23, wounded when shot several times by off-duty Houston PD officers F. Briones (8-yr. vet) and J. Estrada (9-yr vet), who were working security at a club when they heard two men arguing. They say Deanda retrieved a shotgun from his car, then pointed it at the other man. When officers ordered Deanda to drop his gun, he allegedly continued to threaten the other man, so they shot him. (media reports)
7. & 8. 1/17/10 - Larry Polk, b/m, and Devante Jackson, b/m, wounded when shot by off-duty Harris County Sheriff's deputy B. Chanthavisouk, who was working security at an apartment complex with his partner. As they ran toward the sound of gunshots, they saw Polk and Jackson running away. Chanthavisouk shot at them when they refused to stop, wounding one of them in the leg. Deputies claim Polk and Jackson were armed and suspected them of a nearby home robbery. It is not reported where Jackson was wounded. (media reports)
6. 1/17/10 - Amjed Khalaf, 37, (unarmed) wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy D. Garcia that were attempting to serve an arrest warrant for assault. When deputies arrived, Khalaf's brother and other family members told them that there were no guns in the house, that Khalaf was holding a toy gun and was trying to commit suicide. His brother said, "They didn't want to hear it," and was handcuffed and put in a patrol car. When they entered the home, officers claim Khalaf ran down the stairs at them with a gun in his hand, and Garcia shot him. Khalaf was Life-Flighted to the hospital; he is expected to survive. (media reports)
5.
4. 1/15/10 - Antwine Graves, wounded when shot by off-duty Harris County Sheriff's deputy R. Smith. Graves, wearing a ski mask and holding a toy gun, attempted to rob the bank where Smith was working security. Smith shot him when Graves allegedly pointed the gun at him. (media reports)
2. & 3. 1/9/10 - Domonique Gibson and Luis Reed, unarmed, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputies M. Ritchie and T. Rawls. The deputies were dispatched to an apartment complex where a man and woman were knocking on doors. They located Gibson and Reed sitting in a vehicle and ordered them to show their hands. They claim that instead Reed sped off, and they shot at the vehicle, hitting Reed in the wrist. Gibson later went to a hospital claiming she shot herself. (media reports)
1. 1/1/10 - Brent S. Nichols, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputies E. Cavazos, R.L. Salazar, and TDPS officer S.M. Hemphill. There were no media reports for this shooting.
See also:
11/15/08 - Salazar shoots, kills Onyeije Giles.
Officer shootings show no signs of abating
2009
Review sought on Houston-area police shootings
In 2009 there were 64 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 27 civilians killed and 37 wounded.
64.
63. 12/25/09 - Oscar Hernandez, h/m, wounded when shot by Pasadena PD officer M. Martin.
62.
61. 12/7/09 - Nicholas John Schaefer, w/m, 44 and mentally ill, wounded when shot in the arm by 8-mo. rookie Houston PD officer K. Waymire, after he and two other officers responded to a caller who allegedly reported a "suspicious male" with a weapon. Claiming Schaefer pointed the "weapon" at the officers, who had taken cover, Waymire shot him. There was no weapon; Schaefer had a hairbrush. Police say Schaefer made the 911 call, who had threatened suicide before making the call. (media reports)
60. 11/23/09 - Jeffrey Wayne Gullo, wounded when shot by Metro PD officer Dalton Hughes Jr.
59.
w/m, 53 and mentally ill, killed during shootout with Pasadena PD officers Joshua L. Ridings, 25 (a rookie of a few months), and D.R. Shechter. Terral, a fugitive wanted for sexual assault of children, was reported to be at Dunkin' Donuts. When officers arrived, Ridings approached Terral, who pulled a gun, and shots were exchanged. Terral was not hit, but Ridings was struck in the arm and shoulder. Shechter then retrieved a rifle from his patrol car and shot Terral through the window. It is reported that a surveillance camera shows that Terral shot himself in the head immediately prior to Schechter shooting him. Terral's father believes police should have approached him differently because he warned them that he was suicidal and his son said if he was confronted by police, one of them would die. Terral is the 25th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
58.
57. 11/8/09 - John Eric Owens, b/m, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer C.F. Rohling, a 5-yr. vet assigned to North Patrol Div. Rohling responded to a burglar alarm and got a description of the burglar from a witness. When he later saw Owens, who allegedly fit the description, he ordered him to show his hands. Rohling claims he instead put his hands in his sweater pockets and began backing away. Rohling pulled his gun and claims Owens then drew a gun and pointed it at him. Rohling grabbed for the gun, they struggled, and Rohling shot him "at least one time," and dropped his gun. He claims Owens then took both guns and ran, but dropped the guns as he fled. (media reports)
56.
55. 10/25/09 - Joshua Gwyn, 18, wounded when shot by Pct. 3 deputy constables Adam Garcia and Milton Rivera. Officers tried to stop Gwyn for speeding, and a 15-min. chase ensued. Gwyn finally stopped, but officers claim he tried to run over them when they approached his car. Both officers fired several times; Gwyn was hit in the left shoulder. (media reports)
54.
53. 10/12/09 - Taylor O. Williams, 21, wounded when shot by off-duty Pct. 7 deputy constable T.M. Roe and San Jacinto Sheriff's deputy P.E. Sowell. Williams was at a strip club and began dancing on stage with the dancers. He was removed from the club. As the officers (who were working as security guards at the club) approached him in the parking lot, they claim he pulled a gun from the trunk of his car, and fired toward them. Both officers then shot at him, striking Williams in the side and buttock. (media reports)
52.
51. 9/28/09 - Pedro Acuna, h/m, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer G.E. Polk (13-yr. vet, Westside Patrol). When Polk saw a car that looked like one reported stolen, he ordered the driver to show his hands. Instead, he claims Acuna reached for a gun in his waistband. Polk shot him several times, hitting Acuna in abdomen and hand. (media reports)
50. 9/27/09 - Juan Martinez, h/m, 18, wounded when shot by South Houston PD officer M.J. Garcia. Police say Martinez was driving a stolen car, and refused to stop, instead leading leading them on a chase through the small city. He crashed, then allegedly tried to run over Garcia, who shot him in the left shoulder. (media reports)
49. 9/19/09 - Nicolas Bustos, h/m, 18, wounded when shot by Precinct 6 reserve deputy constable D. Villareal, working off-duty as a security guard. Villareal saw Bustos and three other males inside his car, apparently stealing items from it, and shouted for them to stop. Bustos ran and allegedly reached under his shirt. Villareal claimed he feared for his life, and shot him. Bustos was not armed. (media reports)
48.
See also: 01/11/09 - Kent kills Stephen Paul Greene; and
07/31/07 - Kent kills Reginald Lee Sumbler.
47. 9/17/09 - Jose Angel Reyes, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer M.S. Baccus (15-yr. vet, narcotics div.) Officers were serving a search and arrest warrant, and had forcefully entered Reyes' apartment. As Baccus was walking down the hallway, Reyes allegedly tried to grab his gun. Claiming he feared for his life, Baccus shot Reyes in the abdomen. (media reports)
45. & 46. 9/11/09 - Santos Soto Diaz, h/m, 23, and unidentified man, wounded when shot by off-duty TABC officer Michael R. Sehon. 40, who was escorting a jewelry salesman. They stopped briefly at a hotel and, while Sehon waited in his car, he was approached by Diaz and several other men, who robbed him. They exchanged gunfire, and Sehon was shot in the leg. All the men got away, but Diaz and an unidentified man were later arrested. Both had been shot - Diaz, in the back. (media reports)
44. 9/11/09 - Michael Darrell Rollerson, b/m, 25, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer L. Bookman Jr. (8-mo. rookie, North Patrol Div.), who said he saw Rollerson run a stop sign. He followed Rollerson to a residential driveway, where Rollerson and a passenger got out of the car. Bookman ordered them to show their hands, but Rollerson allegedly put his hands behind his back, then brought them forward toward the officer. Bookman claimed he feared for his life, so he shot him - twice, in the leg. Rollerson did not have a weapon. (media reports)
42. & 43. 9/8/09 - Gustavo Garcia, h/m, and Manuel Uribe, h/m, wounded when shot by Houston PD Lt. R.E. Hendricks (19-yr. vet assigned to Robbery Div.), who was working off-duty patrolling the Tanglewood area. As he sat in his unmarked car, two men with guns approached him in an alleged robbery attempt. Hendricks was apparently able to shoot the men from his car, wounding both of them. Although at least one of the men shot at Hendricks, he was not injured. (media reports)
41. 8/21/09 - Sergio Robles
h/m, 24 and known to be mentally ill, critically wounded when shot in the head by Pasadena PD officer R. Barrionuevo. PPD officer Jesse Hamilton had responded to a domestic disturbance call placed by Robles' mother, who reported that Robles suffered from schizophrenia; she had previously called MHMRA, but they were unable to provide any help. When Hamilton saw Robles with a gun, he called for backup. Minutes later, he was shot in the head by Robles. Another officer returned fire, striking Robles in the head. Hamilton was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital. (Robles had just been released from the Harris County jail; records indicate that while in jail, he received no medication for his mental illness.) (media reports)
40.
39. 8/18/09 - Billie Joe Garza
26, h/m, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputies A.C. Hulsey and Donald W. Tipps, who were trying to serve an arrest warrant on him. Garza refused to stop, but crashed his car when a tire blew out. Both he and the 16-yr. old girl with him ran, and deputies say Garza fell, jumped up, and fired at them as he ran. They returned fire, hitting Garza several times. The girl was not charged. (media reports)
See also: 03/22/08 - Tipps shoots and kills Brian Dunkle; and
06/09/05 - Tipps shoots and wounds Juan Jose Morales.
38. 8/7/09 - Brian Keith Lee, b/m, 21, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer R.B. Olive, North Patrol Div. (7-yr. vet). When narcotics officers entered Lee's apartment with a search warrant, they say Lee jumped through a window to escape. They say Lee refused to stay on the ground, and instead got up and charged at Olive. Claiming he feared for his life, Olive shot Lee, hitting him in the left arm. No weapon was reported to have been recovered. (media reports)
37.
w/m, 39, killed when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer Ryan G. Gardiner (7-yr. vet, Northeast Patrol). Barnes and his wife were arguing outside their apartment when Gardiner, making his rounds as a security officer, came by. He ordered Barnes to get on the ground, and Barnes asked, "What for?" The two scuffled briefly, and Gardiner pulled out his Taser. Barnes' wife said he then slapped the Taser out of Gardiner's hand because he has a metal plate in his head and had a fear of being shot with a Taser. The two then backed away from each other, and Barnes allegedly leaned against his car with arms folded and said, "What are you going to do, shoot me?" His wife said, "When he was shot, he was leaning against the car, ... He didn't have anything in his hands. He wasn't a threat to him. He wasn't asked to get on the ground. He wasn't even given a warning. He just shot him." Gardiner shot him 5 times; he was no-billed by a grand jury. Barnes is the 18th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
Also see: 3/15/06 - Gardiner shoots Robert Paul Cantrell; and in
2006 - Gardiner was identified as the HPD officer that used his Taser more than any other officer.
36.
35. 7/23/09 - Teresa Dianne Parks aka Hunter, 51, wounded when shot by Precinct 5 deputy constable J.E. Lewis. Officers were trying to serve an arrest warrant and forced their way into her home. Parks barricaded herself in a room, then climbed out a window into the back yard and began climbing a fence. Claiming she had a shotgun, Lewis shot her in the back of her leg. (media reports)
34.
33.
See also: 1/9/03 - Eichman shoots Vernis Dwayne Scott.
32.
31. 6/17/09 - J. Garcia, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy D. Medina. Medina was fired in 2013 for sexual misconduct while on duty. (media reports)
See also, 6/7/12 - Medina shoots Jaime Gamboa as he surrenders;
11/4/11 - Medina shoots Quentin Russell and Octavius Marshall;
3/9/11 - Medina shoots Charles R. Roy Jr.; and
6/29/10 - Medina shoots Diego Castellanos.
30. 6/8/09 - Anthony Rogers, 24, wounded when shot by Pasadena PD officer M. Reyes. Rogers had allegedly stolen a pickup truck, and Reyes was chasing him. When Rogers came to a stop after hitting a utility pole, Reyes approached the truck from behind. He claims that Rogers then backed the truck in an attempt to hit him, so he fired several shots, hitting Rogers at least 3 times - once in the jaw and once in the leg. He was life-flighted to Hermann Memorial Hospital in serious condition. (media reports)
29.
Jose Castillo
28.
27.
26. 5/22/09 - Leslie Johnson, unarmed, wounded when shot in the leg by Harris County sheriff's deputy S. Hayes Jr. Hayes allegedly saw Johnson stealing from a convenience store, and confronted him. He claims Johnson threatened him, so he shot him. No weapon was reported to have been found. (media reports)
24. & 25.
23. 5/16/09 - Jacob Raymond Medina, h/m, 21 and totally deaf, wounded when shot by Precinct 6 Constable's deputy Juan Pedraza. Medina was shooting his gun into the air from his porch, and Pedraza was sent to investigate. When ordered to put down the gun, police claim Medina refused, continued firing and pointed his gun at the deputy, who then shot him - in the back. (media reports)
22. 5/15/09 - Emmanuel A. Ajiodo II., h/m, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Brandon W. Bailey, who responded to an assault call from neighbors claiming Ajiodo was beating his girlfriend. When Bailey arrived Ajiodo locked himself inside his car, and allegedly pulled a gun from under the seat. Bailey shot him in the side of the abdomen, but Ajiodo refused to get out of the car. A SWAT team was called, and Ajiodo finally surrendered after 4 hours. (media reports)
20. & 21.
Guadalupe Acosta
wounded when shot by Metro P.D. officer R.L. Harrington. Police initially claimed Acosta told a Metro motorcycle officer that she had been assaulted, and Bradford, who was standing nearby, was allegedly identified as the assailant. When the officer approached him, Bradford began walking away with his hands in his pockets, with the officer following. Backup was summoned, and the situation escalated as the two officers Tasered Bradford three times. Police say the Taser had no effect, and claim Bradford pulled out a knife and began lunging at them. But Acosta says she was unaware that Bradford was being chased by officers, and she was shot through the arm from behind as she pushed a toddler in a stroller. Harrington shot Bradford three times, once in the heart, killing him. One of the bullets apparently passed through Bradford and struck Acosta. Bradford is the 9th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
19.
18.
h/m, killed when shot by Houston PD officers M. Valle, Eric Tewes (both 2-yr. vets) and R. Stanfield (one-yr. vet), all of Southeast Patrol Division. Officers responded to a call about a "suspicious" man with a gun, and ordered Vides to drop the gun. He then allegedly began firing at the officers, who returned fire, killing him. Vides' cousin said he was upset because police failed to promptly respond to the theft of his wheel rims. Vides is the 7th person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers. (media reports)
On 8/7/09, Tewes shot at a civilian, but did not hit him; no charges were filed against the civilian. See, HPD news release
17.
16. 4/17/09 - Gerard Jonathan Barnett, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer Christopher L. Slater. Officers were investigating a parking lot disturbance involving several males when two men began shooting at them from across the street, then began running away. As the officers gave chase, Slater claimed he feared for his life and shot Barnett from behind, hitting him in the leg. (media reports)
See also: 3/3/00 - Slater shoots Tyson Demond Braxton.
15. 4/6/09 - Jordan Thomas Ayers
b/m, 25, critically wounded when shot in the jaw by Harris County Sheriff's deputy F. Fullbright. The deputy was working undercover investigating a car burglary ring and saw Ayers and a companion breaking into cars at the Town & Country campus of Houston CC. When Fullbright confronted them, they tried to run him down, knocking him onto the hood of their car. Fullbright fired through the windshield, hitting Ayers. (media reports)
14. 4/6/09 - Damon Marshall, 27, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer K.E. Smith (26-yr. vet, Fondren Patrol Div.) Marshall had robbed a drugstore and was in the parking lot when Smith ordered him to drop his gun. Marshall instead began running away, and Smith fired several shots, hitting him once in the buttock. (media reports)
13. 3/31/09 - Stephen L. Anderson, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer A. Vanderberry and TDPS officer Ralph Ohland.
12. 3/23/09 - Steven Moran
apparently mentally ill, wounded when shot by Webster PD officers T.A. Claunch, P.T. Bacon, J.A. Tovar and D. Vasquez. Moran was involved in a car accident; his father drove him to the hospital, and went inside to get help. When doctors and nurses came outside to assist him, Moran was lying on the ground and threatened to shoot the staff. Police were called, and Moran allegedly threatened to shoot them. After about an hour, officers claim he pointed something at them, and four officers shot him, striking him eight times. Moran was holding a flashlight. (media reports)
11. 3/19/09 - Lisa Vermillion, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer C.A. Curtis, a 9-yr. veteran assigned to Kingwood Patrol. Police had blocked a truck parked behind a truck stop because they suspected drug activity. When the driver of the truck pushed back the patrol car behind him with his truck, officers claim he then drove toward Curtis. As he fled, Curtis fired at the truck, hitting Vermillion in the leg, who was a passenger in the truck. Note: HPD policy prohibits officers from shooting at a fleeing vehicle unless a life is endangered; in this case, it appears Curtis shot into the passenger-side door as the truck passed him. (HPD news report)
10.
9.
h/m, 29, killed when shot by Houston PD narcotics officers Marshum D. Sinegal, a 10-yr. vet; Carlos R. Cantu, a 12-yr. vet; and Brenda K. McCord, a 13-yr. vet. The officers were executing a no-knock search warrant at Alfaro's home to search for drugs, and say they announced themselves as police as they entered. As officer Richard Salter stepped inside, Alfaro shot him in the jaw, critically injuring him. The other three officers opened fire on Alfaro, killing him. Police describe a surveillance system at the Alfaro home as "elaborate" and indicative of drug dealing; the family says it was installed because their home had previously been burglarized. Alfaro's wife states that because the officers were dressed in black and wore ski masks, they feared for their lives and Alfaro was merely defending his family. No drugs were found in the home. Alfaro is the 4th person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers. (media reports)
8. 2/25/09 - Jasmine L. Flowers, b/f, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer S. De La Cruz, who was working as security at a nightclub. He claims that as he was directing traffic from the parking lot, Flowers shot at him from the car in which she was a passenger. He shot at the car as it fled. (media reports)
7.
6. 2/9/09 - Dante Terrell Williams, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers M.L. Wisnoskie and L. Cortinas. Williams and an accomplice were leaving a video store that they had just robbed when police arrived. The officers claim Williams pulled a shotgun from his waistband; both officers shot at him, and one of the bullets grazed Williams' foot. (media reports)
See also: 1/24/06 - Wisnoskie and other officers kill Jesse Isaac Sarabia.
5. 2/2/09 - Travis A. Chambers, b/m, 18, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer T.B. Cooper, who responded to a call about a man walking around the apartment complex (where Cooper was working security) with a shotgun. When officers ordered Chambers to drop his rifle, they claim that Chambers instead pointed the gun at them, and Cooper shot him.
4.
3. 1/19/09 - Julie Parker
w/f, 33 and known to be mentally ill, critically injured when shot by Houston PD Sgt. M.S. O'Neil (a 23-yr. vet). Parker went to her father's work place with a toy gun and bow and arrow (her mother stated that she has religious delusions and thought her father was evil). When an employee tried to stop her after she entered, Parker shot him with the bow and arrow. Two other employees then shot her several times. When police arrived and tried to enter the room where she was hiding, officer O'Niel claims she pointed the bow and arrow at him and refused to put it down, and he shot her several times. Parker's mother said she was released from Austin State Hospital six weeks ago, and she told Austin police at that time what Parker was planning. She said they told her they "couldn't act until something happened." The person she shot with an arrow was treated and released from the hospital. (media reports)
2.
See also:
9/19/09 - Kent kills Gary Rick Varner;
7/31/07 - Kent and other HPD officers shoot and kill Reginald Lee Sumbler; and
6/10/99 - Coleman and other SWAT officers kill Demetrio Martine Hernandez.
1. 1/3/09 - Raymond J. Daniels, 28, wounded when shot by Pasadena PD officer D.L. Johnson-Wright after she stopped him for a traffic violation. As Johnson-Wright approached Daniels' car, he got out of the car and began walking toward her. Johnson-Wright told him to stop, but he kept coming. She tried to Taser him, but missed. She then drew her gun, and Daniels tried to take it from her. She managed to pull away, then fired once, hitting Daniels in the shoulder. Johnson-Wright suffered a broken finger. (media reports)
2008
In 2008 there were 37 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 16 civilians killed and 20 wounded, including two women and a 13-year-old boy, shot in the back. One of those killed is alleged to be a CIA agent. None of the officers has yet been true-billed.
37. 12/31/08 - Robert "Robby" Tolan
b/m, 23, wounded when shot by Bellaire PD Sgt. Jeff Cotton, w/m, 39 (10-yr. vet). Tolan and his cousin had just arrived at Tolan's home from his job at a nearby fast food restaurant and were walking to the door when they were accosted by Cotton and another officer. The officers shone a spotlight on the two and ordered them to get on the ground; they immediately complied. Tolan's mother was awakened by the noise outside her home and came to investigate. Officers claimed the car Tolan was driving had been reported stolen, but Mrs. Tolan insisted it was their car and had not been stolen. She was pushed against a wall by one of the officers, and Tolan raised slightly to protest his mother's treatment. Cotton then fired three shots at Tolan, striking him once in the chest. In May, 2010 a Harris County jury found Bellaire Police Sgt. Jeff Cotton not guilty of aggravated assault. (media reports)
36. 12/20/08 - Tavan DeShawn Anderson, b/m, 24, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Michael Houston (6-yr. vet, Crime Reduction Unit). Officers had stopped the car in which Anderson was a passenger for a traffic violation. Claiming they found drugs in the car, the officers began arresting the three occupants, and Anderson ran. Houston chased him on foot and when Anderson turned to face him Houston claims he pointed what he thought was a pistol at him. Houston then shot him, hitting Anderson in the shoulder. Anderson was holding a cell phone. Police also claim they found a pistol in the area where Anderson was shot. (media reports)
35. 12/12/08 - Patrick Jerome McZeal, b/m, 18, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Jaime Jaramillo, (6-yr. vet). Jaramillo saw McZeal, allegedly armed with a gun, robbing a man. When Jaramillo approached him from behind and ordered him to drop the gun, he claims McZeal spun around and pointed the gun at him. Jaramillo then fired several times, striking McZeal once in the thigh. McZeal fled, but was soon caught by another officer. (media reports)
34. 11/29/08 - Charles Smith, 61 and apparently mentally ill, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Jason Denham. Smith was angry that his wife had left him, and went to the home where his wife was staying, taking several guns with him. About 20 people were there at a family birthday party. When Smith entered the house, one of the relatives jumped out a second floor window and ran to his car, where he called 911. When deputies arrived a few minutes later, Smith had already shot and killed his wife and was sitting on a sofa with his guns, saying he was going to die because he killed his wife. He reached for a rifle; as he lifted it, the barrel was momentarily pointed at the deputy. So Denham shot Smith, hitting him in the leg. At the same time, Smith shot himself in the head, killing himself. (media reports)
33. 11/22/08 - James E. Perez, h/m, wounded when shot in the back by Harris County Sheriff's deputy Jorge Figueroa, h/m. After confronting Perez when he learned Perez was having an affair with his wife, Figueroa and Perez began fighting. As Perez was leaving, Figueroa went into his home, retrieved a gun and shot Perez in the back. (media reports)
32.
See also, 1/1/10 - Salazar shoots Brent S. Nichols.
31.
30. 11/1/08 - David Glen Cruse, wounded when shot by Tomball PD officer J.R. Murray.
29.
28. 10/15/08 - Latrone P. Williams, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Ryan C. Ford, who had responded to a shooting at a night club. Ford saw Williams with a gun in the parking lot; when ordered to drop the gun, Ford claims Williams turned and pointed it at him, so he shot him. (media reports)
27.
26.
25.
24. 8/22/08 - Miguel Benavidez, critically wounded when shot in the chest by Houston PD officer S.E. Fisher (13-yr. vet, Narcotics Div.) Officers had entered Benavidez' home with a search warrant. Fisher claims Benavidez made an aggressive move with his hands, so he shot him. (media reports)
Also see: 4/6/99 - Fisher kills Eulogio Perez Delgado.
23. 8/16/08 - Jose Maria Torres, h/m, wounded when shot in the chest by Houston PD officer C.F. Alcantar. Police "found" Torres standing in the driveway with a sword. They claim he "approached" Alcantar with the sword in hand, so he shot him. (media reports)
22. 8/11/08 - Malcolm McCloud, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Charles Willie Jones, Jr. (10-yr. vet). McCloud and another man exchanged gunfire in the parking lot of Uptown Tapas Bar on Richmond Avenue, where Jones was working off-duty as a security guard. McCloud was shot when Jones responded to the gunshots. Specific details of how the shooting occured are unclear in the police report. (media reports)
See also, 2/16/12 - Jones wounds Johnnell Elis Raglin.
21.
20. 7/7/08 - Joseph Mathis, critically wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputies G. Harrison and R. Hamlet. Deputies had responded to a domestic violence call in which a young girl said her uncle was beating her mother. After the deputies removed the girl and her mother from the home, Mathis barricaded himself in his bedroom, refusing to come out. About 45 minutes later deputies went into the bedroom, and Mathis allegedly lunged at them with an ax. Two Taser shots apparently had no effect on Mathis, and Harrison and Hamlet shot him several times. (media reports)
19.
18. 6/15/08 - Victor Daniel Lebron-Vasquez, h/m, 28 and apparently mentally ill, critically wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Ha Crawford, a/f, a 5-yr. vet of HPD. Police theorize that Lebron said something to a man sitting in his car just outside HPD headquarters that caused him to get out of the car. When Lebron then got into the car, the man began yelling for help. Crawford ran out of police headquarters with gun drawn, and ordered Lebron to get on the ground. He instead began approaching Crawford, moving his arms erratically. Although Lebron had nothing in his hands, Crawford claims she feared for her life and shot Lebron in the abdomen. (media reports)
17. 6/10/08 - Ambrose Chaptmon, aka Chapman, b/m, 26, wounded when shot by U.S. marshal S. Lowenstein. Chaptmon and a companion were in a car registered to a person that had been reported missing. When officers tried to stop the car, Chaptmon drove around their roadblock. As he did, Lowenstein fired at the car several times, hitting Chaptmon. Chaptmon was later charged with the murder of the missing person. (media reports)
16. 6/6/08 - David Pena, 13, critically wounded when shot by Pasadena PD officer I. Ontiveros, an 8-yr. veteran. Police had responded to calls about shots being fired, and found Pena standing in his driveway; he had been shooting at his backyard fence. After officers told him several times to put the gun down, they claim he began turning toward them with the gun raised. Ontiveros then shot him 3 times in the right side of his lower back. (media reports)
15.
14. 5/24/08 - Dora Sublett, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer S.J. Hamala. Sublett, in her underwear, had started shooting at people with a shotgun, then went inside a home. A SWAT team was called, and she shot at them; Hamala shot back, hitting her in the arm. After several hours she was subdued with a Taser. (media reports)
See also, 3/23/13 - S.J. Hamala and T. Warren wounds N. Thibodeaux;
11/4/12 - Brandon Obermiller, killed when shot by Houston PD officer S.J. Hamala
3/27/10 - Undercover Houston PD officers S.J. Hamala involved in the killing of Rosalio Ledesma; and
8/1/06 - Hamala shoots Steven Ferel.
13. 5/22/08 - Sam Jones, b/m, 38, wounded when shot several times by Harris County sheriff's deputy Don McCall, 44 (23-yr. vet). Jones had robbed a taqueria and was walking out of the restaurant when McCall arrived. McCall says Jones pointed a gun at him, and the two began firing at each other. Jones was critically wounded by bullets in his torso and arm; McCall was wounded by a bullet that passed through his leg. (media reports)
12.
w/m, 52, killed when shot in the back by Houston PD officers Andrew J. Washington (22-yr. vet) and Cecil Foster (15-yr. vet). Officers had stopped Carnaby for a traffic violation; he showed them his identification as a CIA agent, then drove away. A chase at speeds up to 122 mph ensued as Carnaby tried to reach the FBI on his cell phone to verify his identity. When Carnaby got into heavy traffic, he pulled over but would not get out of his car. After one of the officers broke out the front passenger window, Carnaby got out on the other side. Police claim he leaned back into his car and reached for something under the seat; they further claim they saw a shiny object in his hand, and Washington and Foster each fired one shot at Carnaby. The shiny object was his cell phone. Carnaby was handcuffed and lay on the ground bleeding for 12 minutes before an ambulance arrived; police made no attempt to give medical help as he lay dying. Autopsy revealed that he died from a gunshot in his back that penetrated his spine. Carnaby is the 7th person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers. (media reports)
11.
b/m, 28, killed when shot by Houston PD Sgt. Charles W. Jones (24-yr. vet, North Patrol Div.), off duty and in plain clothes. Jones was visiting a friend when he heard a noise in the apartment parking lot. He looked out a window and saw someone breaking into his friend's car. When he approached the car and saw Stokes inside it, he claims he identified himself as a police officer and "gave verbal commands" to him. Jones further claims that Stokes then lunged at him with a screwdriver, and he shot twice, striking Stokes in the chest. Stokes is the 6th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
10. 4/9/08 - L. Mendez, 31, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Carl T. Sanders, a 15-yr. vet. Sanders tried to make a traffic stop, and a short pursuit followed. When Mendez was forced to stop at a dead end street, he began to run away on nearby railroad tracks. Sanders followed. Claiming he thought Mendez had a gun, Sanders shot once, striking him in the ankle. (media reports)
See also: 10/8/03 - Sanders shoots Jose Zamora in the head.
9.
See also: 08/18/09 - Tipps kills Billy Joe Garza; and
06/09/05 - Tipps shoots and wounds Juan Jose Morales
8.
7.
6.
5. 2/20/08 - Demetrik Eugene Hurts, b/m, 31, slightly wounded when Houston PD officers P.V. Munoz and M. Sosa Jr., serving a search warrant, shot a dog they claim charged at them and a "possible bullet fragment" ricocheted, striking Hurts in the foot. (no media reports)
4. 2/13/08 - Havanna P. Garcia, h/f, 29, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers A. Arriaga, J.R. Salinas and F. Cardoza (all 5-yr. vets assigned to Southeast Patrol Division). Police say Garcia was driving a stolen car, and when they tried to stop her, they claim she "became evasive" and tried to strike them with the car while they were on foot. All the officers shot at her, and she was struck in the elbow. (media reports)
3. 2/11/08 - A. Lockridge, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy R. Cockerham. When a manager of the Big Texas Dance Saloon arrived at the building around 7 am, he found the door had been kicked in. He flagged down a passing patrol car and asked the deputy to check inside. Cockerham saw Lockridge, ordered him to freeze, but says Lockridge instead "advanced" toward him. He claims he saw what appeared to be a gun in Lockridge's hand, and he fired once, hitting him in the arm. Lockridge did not have a gun. (media reports)
2.
1. 1/15/08 - Jose Ayala, h/m, 21, critically wounded when shot by 8 Houston PD officers. The officers are: G. Rodriguez (24-yr. vet), J.A. Cantu (15-yr. vet), M.T. Romero (23-yr vet), T.D. Haase (24-yr. vet), J.B. Byrd (28-yr. vet), J.L. Thomas (23-yr vet), all assigned to Eastside Patrol Div., and Sgt. R. Rodriguez (23-yr vet), and officer A.C. Dealejandro (22-yr. vet), both assigned to South Central Patrol Div. Officers had stopped Ayala's vehicle to arrest him for probation violation. A chase ensued and, when Ayala finally stopped and got out of his car, officers claim he pointed a weapon at them and they opened fire. They claim he then tried to enter a house but failed, pointed a weapon at them, and they again fired on him. The weapon turned out to be a BB gun. (media reports)
2007
In 2007 there were 32 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 12 civilians killed and 20 wounded, including two boys, ages, 14 and 16. Four of those killed and one of the wounded were mentally ill. All of the officers were no-billed.
10/12/07 Study of police killings cannot account for all / Government says officers to blame for half of deaths of those in custody
32. 12/31/07 - J. Varges, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Richard Martinez, 27 (2-yr. vet, Southeast Patrol Div.), working off-duty as an apartment security guard. Martinez noticed a woman crying for help as she sat in a car with a man; the woman told him the man had raped her. When Martinez tried to arrest Varges he was knocked to the ground. Martinez then fired once, hitting Varges. It is unknown how seriously he was injured. (media reports)
31.
30.
29.
b/m, 29, killed when shot twice by Houston PD officer Brian Marshall Bueno (5-yr vet), who claimed he feared for his life when the unarmed and naked Smith allegedly chased him. Bueno was ticketing another driver when Smith stopped and got out of his pickup truck. He asked the other driver (apparently someone he knew) if Bueno was (expletive) with him, and an argument between Smith and Bueno ensued. Bueno began to pat him down, and witnesses say Smith's pants fell down. They say that when Smith tried to pull them up Bueno shot him with a Taser, which had no effect except possibly to annoy Smith, because he then tore off all his clothes and ran into some nearby woods. Bueno followed, but then claims Smith charged at him, so he shot him. Smith fell, but got up and ran to the patrol car, where police claim he tried to drive away. Bueno and backup officers pulled him out of the car, and Smith ran back into the woods, where he died. Smith is the 10th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
28. 8/27/07 - R. Patton, 24 and known to be mentally ill, shot by Precinct 3 deputy constable C. Kerr when responding to a domestic disturbance call. Patton had allegedly threatened his grandparents with a knife. Kerr claims he told Patton 10-15 times to drop the knife, then shot him, grazing Patton's chest. (media reports)
27. 8/23/07 - A. Campos, teenage h/m, shot from behind by Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable R. Elkin, who claimed Campos and a companion appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol as the walked down the street at 6:45 a.m. Elkin further claims that, when he began patting him down, Campos pulled a gun and started running away. Elkin said he grabbed at his arm and Campos fired shots at Elkin but did not hit him. Apparently, Campos was able to run from the officer, who then shot him in the buttocks. (media reports)
26.
25. 8/14/07 - Brittnee S. King
b/f, 18, wounded when shot on her 18th birthday by Houston PD officer Patrick Carraway (sworn in just 4 months ago, assigned to Northeast Patrol Div.) Officers saw a passenger in King's vehicle throw some trash out the window and tried to stop her. Apparently, King was near her home, and she instead continued driving to her apartment complex, where a code was required to enter. As she began punching in the code, Carraway claimed he saw a shiny object in her left hand, and shot her. King's mother says the "shiny object" was likely the bracelets she was wearing that night. (media reports)
24.
See also: (Straker media reports)
Kent kills Stephen Paul Greene;
22.
b/m, 39 and mentally ill, killed when shot by Houston PD officers T.K. Richardson and R.B. Wieners. Police say Guillory had threatened his mother with a knife, and she called 911 for help, telling them that her son was mentally ill. When officers arrived they said Guillory had a large pipe and appeared agitated. After about 20 minutes the officers moved away and called for backup; Guillory then began smashing the patrol car's windows and headlights. When the second officers arrived Guillory's mother told them her son was schizophrenic and bipolar, begging them not to shoot him. But they allege that Guillory threw the pipe at them, and Richardson and Wieners then shot him at least once. Once again, the Crisis Intervention Team either was not summoned or failed to respond to this call. Guillory is the 7th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
21. 7/21/07 - B. Pierre, is wounded when shot by Houston PD officer E. Browhow after robbing some women at gunpoint. Browhow chased and caught him, and a struggle ensued as Pierre tried to take the officer's gun. Browhow managed to hold on to the gun, but shot Pierre in the leg. (media reports)
20. 7/3/07 - John F. Burks, b/m, 17, wounded when shot by Houston PD narcotics officer M. A. Dominguez (2-yr. vet, Fondren Patrol), who says Burks tried to run over him. Working undercover, Dominguez was sitting in his unmarked car in a parking lot when he observed what he believed to be a drug deal. He apparently called uniformed officers, and when they tried to arrest Burks, Dominguez claims Burks accelerated rapidly toward him. (But the HPD news release states that Burks "swerved around the officer and his unmarked patrol vehicle.") Dominguez fired several shots at Burks, striking him in both wrists. (media reports)
See also: 5/30/07 - Dominguez' partner shoots J. Rivas, 16.
19. 6/8/07 - Anthony Daniel Williams, b/m, 28, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer E.B. Cisneros (15-yr. vet). Williams had stolen a car at gunpoint, and was fleeing from police when he crashed the car. He fled on foot, and was hiding behind a library book drop box when Cisneros ordered him to put his hands up and get on the ground. At first he complied, but then Cisneros claims he dropped his hands as if reaching for a weapon and made an overt move toward him. Cisneros then shot Williams in the chest, claiming he feared for his life. Williams did not have a weapon, and none has been found. (media reports)
18. 6/3/07 - Clifford Jackson Fairfax, b/m, 42, wounded when shot in the leg by Houston PD officer R. Madrid (16-yr. vet, North Patrol Div.) Fairfax was burglarizing a home when he saw the homeowner and Madrid pulled up to the house. He jumped through a window and began running away. Madrid claims Fairfax was holding a black object and turned towards him with it in his hand. Claiming he thought Fairfax was about to shoot him, Madrid fired once, striking Fairfax in the leg. The black object was Fairfax's wallet. (media reports)
17.
16. 5/30/07 - J. Rivas, h/m, 16, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer P. Kopulos as Rivas struggled with Kopulos' partner, M.A. Dominguez (both 2-yr. veterans with Fondren Patrol). The officers say they saw two men and Rivas jaywalking and "acting suspicious," and began patting them down. When they found a gun on one of the men, the officers claim Rivas pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at them. Dominguez grabbed his hand. They further claim that Rivas shot at Dominguez as they struggled over the gun, grazing his cheek. Kopulos then fired two shots at Rivas, hitting him at least once. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. (media reports)
See also: 7/3/07 - Dominguez shoots John Burks.
15.
h/m, 22, killed when shot in the back by Houston PD officer K.R. Barnes (9-yr. veteran, Fondren Patrol), who was talking to a woman whose purse was stolen. As they spoke, a man identified a passerby as the person that had previously robbed him at gunpoint. Barnes approached Rivera, who allegedly "fled" into a nearby apartment complex. Police first claimed that Rivera then ran toward Barnes with a pistol, refused to drop the gun, and Barnes fired twice, hitting Rivera in the upper torso. Two days later officers admit that Rivera was shot in the back. Rivera is the 5th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
14. 5/10/07 - Alejo Castaneda Gonzalez, h/m, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer R.E. Briggs (16-yr. veteran, Narcotics Div.), who was conducting an investigation when Gonzalez allegedly confronted him with a gun. Briggs claims Gonzalez fired at him, and Briggs shot once, striking Gonzalez in the abdomen. He is in stable condition. (media reports)
13. 5/9/07 - C. Bennett, 26, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy J. Garcia, a 15-yr. vet. A motorist said he was being followed by another car and was directed to stop at a gas station where a deputy was waiting. When the deputy stopped the car, the passenger got out and tried to hide between other cars. Garcia claims he saw Bennett drop a magazine clip as he ran toward some nearby woods with a pistol in his hand. He further claims Bennett then turned toward him, and Garcia fired several shots, hitting Bennett at least once in the chest. He was Life-Flighted to Ben Taub Hospital in stable condition. (media reports)
12.
b/f, 42 and mentally ill, killed when shot once at Houston PD headquarters by HPD officer A.B. Clay, a 9-yr. vet. Villarreal had first requested to speak to an investigator about a case involving her, but was refused entry because her name was flagged as someone who had previously tried to bring weapons into the building. Officers then saw her "wandering" on the street in front of headquarters, and again refused her entry when she asked to use the bathroom. She later rushed into the building, allegedly with a knife in her hand (Note: A witness claims it was similar to a butter knife), crying out, "Shoot me, kill me. I want to end this." As she focused her attention on Clay, officer E.D. Smith (5-yr. vet), shot her with a Taser, which apparently failed to make contact. Clay then shot her in the chest. Villarreal was convicted in November of unlawfully carrying a weapon, and was ordered at that time to have a psychiatric examination; it is not known if the examination was arranged by the court or any other authority. Once again, no CIT officer was summoned, despite her unusual behavior for several hours before she was killed. Villarreal is the 4th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
11. 5/3/07 - D. Rogers, shot by off-duty Houston PD SWAT officer Gilbert Reyes (28-yr. vet) after robbing a restaurant. Reyes had just left a restaurant near the one that was robbed, and chased Rogers in his car. When he caught up with him, Reyes claims Rogers threatened him with a gun, and he shot him. Rogers ran into some nearby woods and was able to get to his home, where he called 911 to report he had been shot; and the police then arrested him. (media reports)
10. 5/1/07 - John Palmer, wounded when shot by U.S. Marshal C. Welch.
9. 4/25/07 - Joseph Juan Flores, h/m, 23, wounded when shot by Houston PD narcotics officers F.P. Scoggins III. and F. Rodriguez Jr., who were attempting to serve a search warrant. Officers claim there was no response to their knock, and forced their way into the apartment. They further claim Flores was pointing a gun at them at they entered, and both officers fired, striking Flores. (media reports)
8. 4/24/07 - Andrew Gibbs, 14, shot in the back of his leg by Harris County sheriff's deputy Luis Guillermo Figueroa during a fight between two men in a parking lot. Figueroa claims Gibbs pulled a gun and attempted to flee, so he shot him. Another man who allegedly refused to leave the parking lot was Tasered. (media reports)
See also:
12/6/02 - Figueroa shoots Ralph Reiner Myers in the back; and
11/6/02 - Figueroa shoots Rodney Ali Baldwin in the back, killing him.
7. 3/28/07 - J. Lott, wounded when shot three times by Pct. 7 deputy constable W. Winfree, 47, a 3-yr. veteran. Winfree confronted four men as they were assaulting another man, one of whom had a gun. The four began running away, but Lott, who had the gun, allegedly refused to drop it and pointed it at Winfree, who then shot him in the abdomen. (media reports)
6. 2/14/07 - Dustin Shane Mosley, 23, wounded when shot in the chest by Texas DPS trooper Charles Kibble, 43 (13-yr. vet). Mosley was stopped for speeding. The officer said he smelled marijuana in the car and called for backup. When Kibble arrived Mosley ran into a nearby wooded area. Kibble caught him, and as the two struggled, Kibble claims Mosley tried to take his gun, so he shot him. Mosley was Life-Flighted to the hospital in critical condition. (media reports)
5.
4. 1/26/07 - Edward Thomas, 20, shot in the head, shoulder and side by Houston PD detectives M.W. Hamby, 47 (26-yr. vet), and T.D. Butler, 34 (12-yr. vet.), who saw Thomas sitting in their unmarked car as they approached after having lunch. The officers say they identified themselves as police and ordered Thomas to surrender; instead, Thomas jumped into his own car (parked next to the detectives), and drove toward them. Hamby and Butler both opened fire, shooting three times through the windshield and twice in each of the front doors. At least 11 shots were fired at Thomas, who was unarmed. (media reports)
Michael W. Hamby
3. 1/19/07 - Richard Williams, w/m, 35 and mentally ill, critically wounded when shot numerous times by Harris County Pct. 5 deputy constables O. Garcia, R. Felix, D. Johnson and R. Horn, who went to Williams' home after dispatchers received a 911 hang-up call. Williams spoke to the deputies at his front door, but refused to let them inside. Deputies claim that as they began to surround his home, Williams ran outside with what appeared to be a weapon in his hand, and they shot him. The weapon was a pellet gun. Neighbors were stunned, saying, "He's always real nice. . . He was just a real sweet man." (media reports)
2.
1.
h/m, 21 and known by police to be mentally ill, killed when shot by Houston PD officer Rodney D. Chaison Jr. (5-yr. veteran). Esparza's parents had called 911 for help in taking him to a psychatric facility for evaluation after he locked the family out of the house. Police claim that he had assaulted his sister and was destroying their house with a hammer; the family dispute that claim and say Esparza did neither. (Those who were later inside the home said the home was orderly and there was no evidence of destruction; the 18-yr. old sister said her brother never assaulted her.) After police arrived they assured the family that their son would not be harmed; a CIT officer arrived and allegedly tried to talk Esparza out of the home, without success. After two hours, the CIT officer authorized other officers to enter the home to take Esparza into custody. The officers claim Esparza charged them with the hammer, and Pineda shot him dead. The father said he heard five shots within minutes of the officers entering his home, but the family was kept waiting 4 to 5 hours outside, not knowing their son was dead because the officers would give them no information about his condition. An ambulance was finally summoned after about 3 hours. Esparza is the 1st person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. (media reports)
2006
In 2006 there were 37 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 13 civilians killed and 24 wounded. Three teenagers (14, 15 and 16) were wounded, and a 26-yr. old woman was killed after she stole some beer. All of the officers were no-billed.
10/24/06 - Unidentified and unarmed 14-yr. old boy, shot by Houston PD undercover officer J. Rincones, conducting an afternoon auto-theft sting. During their negotiations, six men attacked Rincones (a 13-yr. veteran), and he fired two shots, hitting the boy in the leg. It is not known if the boy was one of those that attacked the officer, or just a resident of the apartment complex. This boy is the 23rd person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
See also: (Straker media reports)
07/31/07 - Straker kills Reginald Lee Sumbler;
09/02/03 - Straker kills Mary J. Beasley;
08/13/01 - Straker kills McLoren Anthony Jones; and
06/10/99 - Straker kills Demetrio Martine Hernandez.
9/24/06 - C. Houx, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy D. Doquim. Details not yet released by HCSO. Houx is the 22nd person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
9/7/06 - Bradford Lee Hearn, wounded when shot by off-duty Harris County Sheriff's deputy C. Collier, working security at a club. Collier suspected Heard of breaking into vehicles in the parking lot. After confronting him, Collier claims Heard got in his pickup and drove toward him, and he fired two shots into the vehicle, hitting Heard in the arm. Heard is the 21st person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
8/24/06 - C. Lewis and Y. Gonzales, wounded when shot in the neck and back, respectively, by Harris County undercover sheriff's deputies K. Willis, M. Nations and R. Martinez. The deputies had allegedly bought cocaine from the two men, and claim they saw a gun in their car. They also claim the men tried to run over them as they began to drive away, and the deputies fired at least 12 times at their fleeing vehicle, hitting both men. Their car then crashed into a parked patrol car. The two deputies claim minor injuries from being struck by the fleeing vehicle, and another claims minor injuries when his patrol car was struck by the victims' out-of-control car. The two victims are in critical condition. Lewis and Gonzales are the 19th and 20th persons known to have been wounded this year when shot by Harris County police officers.
8/23/06 - Unidentified man, known as Gordo, shot twice in "center mass" by Houston PD officer Daniel W. Starr (Northwest Patrol Div., 21-yr. veteran). A security guard saw two men with guns at an apartment complex, and called police. When Starr found one of the men hiding in some bushes, he ordered him out. The man then shot at Starr, who returned fire, striking him multiple times; his condition is unknown. Starr was struck twice in the chest but, despite the August heat, was wearing his bulletproof vest, which deflected two bullets, probably saving his life. He was not injured. "Gordo" is the 18th person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
8/8/06 - Unidentified 15-yr. old boy, wounded when shot by undercover Houston PD officer G. McDonald, who was conducting a prostitution sting with another officer. The officers claim the boy shot at them as they were arresting a suspected prostitute, and ran when they shot at him. He was found a short distance away with a gunshot wound in the abdomen. The boy is the 17th person known to have been wounded this year when shot by Harris County police officers.
8/4/06 - Allan Fernando Alvarez, h/m, 24, wounded when shot in the face by Houston PD Sgt. R. Garza (22-yr. veteran, Eastside Patrol Div.) Officers were searching for Alvarez and a companion after they had just robbed a business. When Garza raised the lid on a garbage can, he claims Alvarez, who was unarmed, "popped out of the can in a threatening manner," and he shot him. Alvarez is the 16th person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
8/1/06 - Steven Ferrel, w/m, 37, wounded when shot at least twice by Houston PD SWAT officers A. Orozco, Anthony R. Pisaro, 41, and S.J. Hamala. Ferrel was suspected of a robbery and told a dispatch operator that he would shoot himself if the police came into his motel room. A female that was in the room with him was released unharmed; police claim she was a hostage. Police say Ferrel came out of the room "waving" a shotgun and a pistol, then began to point them at the officers when they shot him. Ferrel is the 15th person known to have been wounded this year when shot by Harris County police officers. (media reports)
See also: (Pisaro media reports)
3/23/13 - S.J. Hamala and T. Warren wounds N. Thibodeaux;
11/4/12 - S.J. Hamala kills Brandon Obermiller;
03/27/10 - Pisaro and Hamala shoot Rosalio Ledesma;
05/24/08 - S.J. Hamala shoots Dora Sublett;
08/01/06 - S.J. Hamala shoots Steven Ferel.
08/01/01 - Pisaro kills Haywood Louis Ogburn, 32;
03/12/01 - Pisaro wounds John Jones Jr.;
08/07/98 - Pisaro shoots fellow officer Richard Pedraza;
01/01/93 - Pisaro shoots and kills Amos Perry, age 15; and
12/20/91 - Pisaro paralyzes Rosalind Joyce Bell.
7/5/06 - Harold Joseph Natale, b/m, 29, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer G. Gutierrez, who had been called by a family member reporting someone breaking into her garage. Gutierrez found Natale pushing a large toolbox. When Gutierrez tried to arrest him, a struggle ensued, and Natale was shot in the foot. Natale is the 14th person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
6/29/06 - I. Naranjo and S. Martinez, wounded when shot by Pasadena PD officer E. Hudson (5 or 6-yr. veteran), who says he found them "acting suspiciously" when he responded to a disturbance call. He claims they tried to run over him, and fired his gun once; the same bullet struck the driver in the wrist and the passenger in the leg. Neither injury was serious. Naranjo and Martinez are the 12th and 13th persons known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
6/1/06 - Eric William Goodman, w/m, 47, wounded when shot once (variously reported as in the chest, stomach, and abdomen) by Houston PD officer Michael J. Hightower (24-yr. veteran, Westside Patrol Div.) Responding to a disturbance call, officers found Goodman in his boxer shorts with a pistol in the back waistband, arguing with a woman. When told to "show his hands," police claim he instead turned and began pointing the pistol at them; Hightower then shot him. Goodman is the 11th person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
5/4/06 - Leroy Cooper, b/m, 54, wounded when shot by Houston PD Sgt. D.J. Culak, 52 (28-yr. veteran). Officers found Cooper in a trailer at the HPD Vehicle Compound. When ordered to stop what he was doing (allegedly stealing tools), police claim he charged at Culak with a tire iron, who then shot Cooper several times. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition. Cooper is the tenth person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
4/22/06 - Carlos Vela Trevino, h/m, 38, wounded when shot in the foot, buttocks, and both thighs by Houston PD Sgt. A. Porras (32-yr. veteran), and officers L.G. Gay III (11-yr. veteran) and R.L. Mason (25-yr. veteran), all from the Tactical Operations Div., K-9 unit. Police were called to a domestic dispute by a neighbor, who reported hearing gunshots and screaming from a nearby home. After a woman and two children left the home, officers entered and found Trevino in a bedroom. Trevino allegedly began firing at the officers, who returned fire, injuring Trevino. Trevino is the ninth person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
4/5/06 - J. Okusaga, wounded when shot in the hand by Houston PD officer E. LaCourt, who had responded to an assault call. Witnesses said Okusaga and a companion had tried to rob and then beat a 75-yr. old man, and they called for police. Police claim that Okusaga "made an overt motion to his back" as they tried to take him into custody, and LaCourt shot him. The elderly man was taken to the hospital in good condition.
4/4/06 - Frederick Tippett, 37, wounded when shot in the neck and arm by unidentified member of Pasadena multi-agency drug task force. Several officers, driving unmarked cars, tried to stop Tippett's pickup. (It is not specified whether Tippett was driving or was a passenger.) In an effort to escape, Tippett's vehicle rammed one of the officer's cars, and another officer fired shots, hitting Tippett. The driver continued trying to escape and rammed another officer's car, who got out and shot three times at the pickup. It is possible that Tippett was unaware the pursuing cars were driven by police officers.
3/31/06 - E. Santitanes, wounded when shot by Tomball PD officer J. Williams. Santitanes and a companion had stolen a vehicle. When stopped and arrested, Williams shot Santitanes. No further details available. (media reports)
3/15/06 - Robert Paul Cantrell, w/m, 36, critically wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Ryan G. Gardiner (a 4-yr. veteran from Northeast Patrol Div.) Gardiner followed Cantrell to a gas station because the car he was driving was reported stolen. As Cantrell came out of the station's store, Gardiner ordered him to lie on the ground. He claims Cantrell instead "dived into the stolen vehicle," reaching under the passenger seat. Gardiner then shot at him five times. No weapon was reported to have been found in the car.
2/28/06 - D. Cobourne, wounded when shot by Pasadena PD officer T. Neilon, who began questioning Cobourne because he allegedly matched the description of a suspect in a robbery case. Police claim Cobourne struck an officer as he drove away, and that's when Neilon shot him. He was in serious condition with a gunshot wound in his neck. The officer who allegedly was hit by the van was not injured.
2/23/06 - Levi Balderas, h/m, wounded when shot in the leg by Houston PD officers N. Patel (age 34; 10-yr. veteran) and A. Yanez (age 40; 14-yr. veteran), both from the Eastside Div. Gang Unit. Officers say Balderas and another person were burglarizing cars at a restaurant parking lot, and Balderas rammed their car with his pickup when they tried to arrest him. Claiming he accelerated toward them, both officers fired, and Balderas was hit in the leg. Police do not explain how Balderas was hit in the leg if the officers fired while in front of his vehicle.
2/10/06 - Unidentified person, wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy D. Hillborn. (Sheriff's Dept. refuses to release details of this shooting.)
2/8/06 - Unidentified 16-yr. old girl, threatening suicide is wounded when shot in the foot by Houston PD officer C.W. Jackson (Westside Patrol Division). Police say the girl was brandishing a knife as she moved toward them, and Jackson shot twice as he stumbled backward, hitting her foot. Officers then took the knife from her. Once again, no member of HPD's Critical Incident Team responded to this urgent call involving a mentally ill person. This girl is the second person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
b/m, 28, killed when shot by Houston PD officers W. Crank, M. Jones, D. Bejarano, E. Bratton, J. Brown, Fisher, Kelly, Russell and Davis. Roberson had kidnapped his girlfriend and her 4-year old child in Dallas, and was chased by officers from several law enforcement agencies as he drove to Houston. He eventually crashed his car and as it came to a rest, numerous officers approached and shot him. The girlfriend and her child were not harmed.
Roberson is the third person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers.
1/4/06 - J. "Pepe" Tapia, h/m between 16-20 yrs, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer R. Adams, who had approached Tapia to question him about a robbery. Police claim that Tapia pulled a pistol and attempted to shoot Adams, but apparently the pistol jammed. Adams shot him as he fled. Tapia is the first person known to have been wounded this year when shot by a Harris County police officer.
2005
In 2005 there were 32 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 20 civilians killed and 14 wounded; 4 of those killed were unarmed, including a 15-year old boy shot in the back, and at least one was known to be mentally ill. One police officer was killed by another officer. All of the officers were no-billed.
12/24/05 - Theolonious Paul Henry, b/m, 40, critically injured when shot by Houston PD officers A.A. Ferrer and R.D. Gonzales (both 8-yr. veterans, Southeast Patrol Div.) Henry was assaulting his estranged girlfriend. When police arrived, they saw him shoot at her, then allegedly point his pistol at the officers, and they shot him, striking him multiple times in his upper torso. The girlfriend received minor grazing wounds to her head and arm.
12/5/05 - Jonathan Ray Ford, 22, shot twice in the waist by off-duty Houston PD officer Mario A. Valles, 37 (10-yr. veteran Fondren Patrol Div.) Valles and his partner had stopped Ford and a companion after learning they were in a stolen SUV used that day in several robberies. When Ford got out of the car with a gun, police say he refused to put it down, and Valles shot him.
Pino and Bautista are the 17th and 18th persons known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers.
15, b/m, shot once in the back by Harris County Sheriff's deputy Mike R. Robinson, 38 (13-yr. veteran). Anthony was a passenger in a pickup truck that Robinson claims was driving erratically, and he gave chase. The truck crashed, and driver and passenger fled. Robinson claims Anthony pointed an assault rifle at him as he ran, and he shot him. Anthony's mother and others question this account by police. Anthony died a month after he was shot. Deputy Robinson's personnel file reveals he was almost terminated earlier in his career for using excessive force against an inmate. Johnson is the 16th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer.
10/8/05 - R. Coleman, wounded when shot by North Harris & Montgomery County College District PD officer Darren Dixon. (details unavailable at this time)
See also: 7/31/07 - Wagner is one of seven officers that kill Reginald Lee Sumbler.
b/m, 33, a Precinct 6 reserve deputy constable, shot once in the head, twice in the back, and once in the thigh (all from the back) and killed by Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Wallace Jones. Jones and another deputy were pursuing a 17-year-old boy on foot after he crashed a stolen car in an apartment complex where Pickens was working as a security guard. When Pickens saw the boy, he allegedly pulled his gun and began chasing him. Jones claims he thought Pickens, not in uniform, was a "suspect," ordered him to drop his gun, and shot him when he turned toward him, gun still in hand. A witness disputes Jones' account, stating there was no verbal warning or order and that Pickens was not a threat to Jones, who was no-billed. Pickens is the 10th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer.
7/6/05 - Ronald Hamilton, b/m, 31, and Shedrick White, b/m, 32, wounded when shot by Houston PD officers T.A. Adams (10-yr. veteran), J.L. Scales, 35 (3-yr. veteran), and K.L. Raven (3 1/2-yr. veteran), all from Fondren Patrol Div. The officers responded to a burglary call and found White and Hamilton robbing three men inside a store. Police say they refused to drop their weapons, instead pointing them at the officers, who fired at them multiple times.
On 1/7/97, Scales, who was then a 27-yr. old Bellville police officer, shot and killed Raizell S. Duff, 18 and unarmed. Scales claims he found Duff inside his home and shot him 3 times because the boy refused to stop approaching him (despite the gun in Scales' hand).
7/3/05 - Simon Gutierrez Jahuey, h/m, 27 and unarmed, critically wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Richard King, a 20-yr. veteran of HCSO. Jahuey's estranged wife's 13-yr. old niece had run away from home and had been living with Jahuey for a month. When he returned the girl to her home, deputies approached to question him, and Jahuey fled in his minivan. A 30-minute chase by both HCSO deputies and HPD officers ended when King pulled alongside Jahuey's vehicle and fired three times at him, striking him in the neck. It is a violation of HCSO policy to shoot into a vehicle under these conditions, and HCSO suspended King without pay for 15 days, put him on probation for 180 days, and removed him from patrol duty for this violation.
6/19/05 - Ngoc Van Nghiem, a/m, 31, critically wounded when shot in the abdomen by Houston PD officer James M. Garris, working off-duty as a security guard. Garris says he shot at (but didn't hit) Nghiem when he pointed a pistol at a group in a restaurant. Nghiem then turned toward Garris, who fired and hit him in the abdomen.
6/9/05 - Juan Jose Morales, h/m, 34, wounded when shot in the shoulder by Harris County sheriff's deputies Donald W. Tipps (13-yr. veteran) and N. Carter. The officers were responding to a domestic disturbance call, and pulled into the driveway behind Morales, who was in his car. As they approached him, officers say he began trying to back his vehicle up on the hood of a patrol car while a deputy was still inside. Claiming he refused to show his hands and reached for something on the passenger side of his car, they shot him. He was Life-Flighted to Hermann Hospital in critical condition. Officers claim there was a shotgun in his car.
6/9/05 - Timothy Thomas, b/m, 26, wounded when struck in the abdomen, chest and arm when shot by Houston PD officer Bobby Thompson, a 19-yr. veteran of Westside Patrol. Thompson had stopped Thomas for an unspecified traffic violation, and Thomas got out of his car. When ordered to get back in his car, Thompson claims he instead reached under the front seat, so he shot him. There was no weapon.
4/25/05 - Marlon Rainford, b/m, 19, wounded when tasered and shot by Houston PD officer G. Fletcher. Police claim Rainford was acting suspiciously at an auto repair shop; when they responded, they say Rainford tried to run over them, ramming a patrol car.
4/20/05 - Johnny Dell Nevels, 41, wounded when shot in the chest by Harris County Pct 3 deputy constable Phillip Marquez after a Family Dollar store robbery. Nevels tried to hide in nearby brush with several items in his hands. Marquez claims Nevels charged at him as other officers arrived, and he shot him.
3/24/05 - Carl Frederick Williams Jr., wounded when shot in the left thigh by Harris County Pct. 3 deputy constable Angela McDaniel. A deputy sheriff had tried to stop Williams for speeding, who pulled into an apartment parking lot and got out of his car with a gun. McDaniel happened to be at the complex, and ordered him to drop his gun. When he didn't, she shot him.
2/14/05 - Johnny J. Linker, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy C. Friedrich, who saw Linker running from the scene of a vending machine burglary. As the two struggled, Friedrich claims Linker pulled a hammer from his waistband. Friedrich drew his weapon and fired once, striking Linker in the chest.
1/2/05 - Angel Villeda, h/m, 34; and Jose Antonio Hernandez, h/m, 33, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD Sgt. Tony Nguyen, 38 (12-yr. veteran, Internal Affairs Div). Nguyen claims Villeda twice tried to run his car off the road. He got out of his car and shot 3 times at the tires of Villeda's van as he drove toward him, then shot twice more as the van moved past him. (It is a violation of HPD's policy to shoot at a moving vehicle.) Villeda was shot in the hand, and Hernandez was shot in the leg. But Villeda and Hernandez claim Nguyen reacted in road rage when their van pulled out in front of his car from a side road, saying both Nguyen and his wife made finger gestures as they passed their van. Nguyen's car spun around, facing Villeda's, and he shot at the van as it passed him. Villeda stopped at a store, and as Hernandez walked toward the store intending to call police, Nguyen fired a shot near his feet, ordering him to stop. Nguyen was no-billed by a grand jury.
2004
In 2004 there were 22 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 10 civilians killed and 12 wounded. At least 2 were minors, and at least two were mentally ill. All of the officers were no-billed.
12/26/04 - 2004 shootings by law enforcement - Houston Chronicle
b/m, 19, shot to death by Houston PD officer Donaciano G. Moreno, 36 (an 11-year veteran), responding to a domestic violence call. Police claim Moreno shot Joseph several times after he pointed a pistol at Moreno. Joseph is the 9th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer.
11/20/04 - Felix Manuel Aguirre, h/m, 22, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer R.A. Barajas (Central Patrol Div.), who was responding to a shooting call. After Aguirre shot at a woman, he began talking a group of men on the street. Barajas claims Aguirre pointed a gun at his patrol car as he ran alongside it, and Barajas shot at him several times, hitting him in the arm.
11/7/04 - Tomari Davis, unarmed, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer W. Hassan (Westside Patrol Div.) Davis attempted to kick in the door of an apartment, claiming to be God and yelling for "Nick." When Hassan arrived, Davis was in his pickup truck at the complex's exit gate, but quickly got out and allegedly ran toward Hassan. The officer ordered him to get on the ground, but claimed he refused and continued to run toward him. Hassan fired one shot, hitting Davis in the left leg below the knee. Davis' behavior would indicate he was either mentally ill, high on drugs, or both.
10/16/04 - Roy Rodriguez
h/m, 19 and unarmed, shot in the back and killed by Houston ISD police officer Richard McColister, 40, who said he found Rodriguez trying to pry open a vending machine on school property. Rodriguez had a screwdriver. Rodriguez is the 8th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer.
10/15/04 - C.O. Middleton - wounded when shot by Harris County Sheriff's deputy R.H. Morrison. Middleton had been threatening neighbors with a gun. Morrison convinced him to put the gun down, but he then reached for it again. A struggle ensued, and Morrison claims his gun went off accidentally in the struggle.
10/5/04 - LaDonna Banks, unarmed, wounded when shot in the head by Houston PD officer C. Pena Jr. Two persons walking to a bus stop became fearful they were about to be robbed when a car with two people in masks drove by them. Police were called and, as the two were being interviewed, the car came back around. Officers chased the car into a cul-de-sac, where the driver and the girl bailed out. The girl was soon found hiding under a car in a private driveway. Pena claims he ordered her to come out, she moved her hands, and he shot her. Officer Pena received no discipline and no training in gaining cover when dealing with suspects and his use of excessive force.
10/4/04 - Shawna Felder, 35 and unarmed, shot in the back by Baytown PD officer D. Jones. Arrested on a domestic disturbance charge, Felder was threatening to harm herself in jail, and injured her foot. Taken to hospital, she escaped and stole an ambulance, but was caught after a 2- to 3-mile chase. Jones claims his gun accidentally discharged during a struggle.
See also: (Cargill media reports)
09/12/02 - Crawford shoots Daniel Polk and Michael Leno Vitello in another drug bust;
04/19/00 - Cargill and his partner, Mark R. Prendergast, kill Lanny Blaine Robinson in identical circumstances;
10/16/86 - Cargill and his partner, R.L. Foxworth, kill Alice Marie Rhodes; and
03/15/85 - Cargill and Foxworth kill Sylvester Nava.
6/20/04 - James Lee Madden, b/m, 38, critically wounded when shot in the abdomen by Houston PD officer Hector Ramirez, 31, a 5-yr. veteran. Ramirez was off-duty at a car wash where he claims he saw a pistol in Madden’s waistband and saw him make "some type of suspicious gesture." So he shot him.
6/19/04 - Maurice Baldwin Canty, b/m, 39, critically wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer Dong Q. Hoang, a/m, 27 (2-yr. veteran, Westside Patrol Div.), who was questioning Canty after arresting him for shoplifting. Canty, although handcuffed behind his back, pulled a pistol from his side and shot Hoang in the left arm and hand. Hoang returned fire, striking Canty several times.
5/24/04 - Daniel Rodriguez Valle, h/m, 21, wounded when shot in the shoulder by Houston PD officer E. Gutierrez. Valle and two other men had been involved in a series of robberies. When Gutierrez tried to handcuff Valle, a struggle ensued; Valle allegedly reached for a gun in his backpack, and Gutierrez shot him in the shoulder. (Valle is 6 ft. 2 in. and weighs 240; Gutierrez is female.)
5/19/04 - M. Benavidez, h/m, unarmed, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy W. Thomas as he and another man burglarized a stereo shop. He was Life-Flighted to a hospital.
Also see: (Wilkerson media reports)
05/08/04 - Robert E. Barkley, 36, shot in the face and hand by Wilkinson, working off-duty as a security guard for Dillard’s.
5/8/04 - Robert E. Barkley, 36, shot in the face and hand by Harris County sheriff’s deputy William Wilkerson, who was working off-duty as a security guard for Dillard’s. Wilkerson says he suspected Barkley of shoplifting and "tried to stop him in the parking lot." He claims Barkley tried to run over him. Investigators found no stolen items. (media reports)
See also: (Wilkerson media reports)
05/16/04 - Hiji Eugene Harrison, 25, shot to death by Harris County sheriff’s deputy William Wilkinson, who had stopped Harrison for speeding; and
06/01/94 - Darryl Robinson is killed by off-duty sheriff's deputies working at Dillard's.
4/29/04 Humero Becerra - h/m, unarmed teen, wounded when shot in the shoulder by Harris County sheriff's deputy R. Vandine, who said the van Becerra was driving was stolen. When he told Becerra to raise his hands, Vandine claims Becerra instead began to reach under the seat, so he shot him. There was no weapon in the van.
See also: 1/11/97 - Zachary Long shoots Gene Allen Blackwell.
1/8/04 – Roberto Aleman Ojeda, h/m, 52, wounded when shot in the leg by Houston PD officer James P. Tyler. The homeless Ojeda had set up a camp blocking a sidewalk and allegedly swung a club when Tyler approached him.
2003
In 2003 there were 37 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 16 civilians killed, including two 14- and 15-yr. old boys, and 21 wounded. At least 21 were unarmed, and 7 were mentally ill. One officer was convicted of homicide (11/21/03) and sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 yrs probation. Another was tried and found not guilty of murder (12/15/03). All other officers were no-billed.
Eric D. Hillman
Eli Escobar and his wife Lydia
14, h/m, (the only child of Lydia and Eli Escobar) shot in the head and killed by Houston police officer Arthur J. Carbonneau, a 4-yr. veteran, who claims he responded to a criminal mischief report and Escobar, standing in a group of boys, was pointed out to them by the caller. Carbonneau then claims a struggle ensued and his gun went off, killing the boy. But a friend of the boy said the two of them were playing video games inside the friend's apartment when officers came to the door and ordered them outside. When they didn't respond immediately, saying they didn't understand why they were being ordered out, Carbonneau grabbed Eli by his shirt and pulled him over to the fence. Eli fell to ground, he said, and told police he didn't do anything. Eli tried to get up and fell again. The friend said he then heard one gunshot. Carbonneau was indicted and convicted of criminally negligent homicide. His punishment: 6 months in jail and 5 years probation. He was also ordered to write a letter of apology to Eli's parents. Escobar is the 14th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer. In May, 2008, the City settled the civil case for $1.5 million, a letter from the city expressing condolences to Eli's parents, a commitment from the city to change gun handling and crisis intervention training for all HPD officers, and a memorial plaque in honor of Eli Escobar Jr.'s life to be placed on city property.
HPD officer Arthur Carbonneau. Convicted of criminally negligent homicide in 2005 for the 2003 shooting death of 14-year-old Eli Escobar II.; sentenced to 60 days in jail, 10 years’ probation. (media reports)
Arthur J. Carbonneau
11/13/03 - John Maler, wounded when shot by Harris County Asst. DA Don Boethel, who was serving a felony warrant. Maler tried to grab Boethel's gun, and it went off, striking Boethel's wrist and wounding Maler.
11/11/03 - Louis Medlow, 45, threatening suicide, wounded when shot in the legs and buttocks by Houston PD officer Curtis Hampton during SWAT standoff. Although the standoff lasted several hours, no CIT officer was reported to have been called.
See also: 12/25/11 - Hampton kills Blake Pate.
15, h/m, cruising a theater parking lot with 3 other boys, shot once in the chest and killed by Houston police officer Richard K. Butler, b/m. Butler claimed the cruising was suspicious behavior, ordered Vargas to stop his car and thrust his hands and gun inside the driver's window. He first claimed he shot Vargas because he felt threatened; police later claimed that instead of stopping his car, Vargas tried to drive off and the movement caused Butler's gun to go off. Butler was fired, but he appealed to a Civil Service Commission, which restored his job. Vargas is the 12th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer.
Officer Richard Kevin Butler no-billed by jury, later returned to the police force.
10/13/03 - Clell Tyree (Jamian) Allen, b/m, 21, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer J.L. Rivera, 31 (6-yr. vet, NW Patrol). Allen had robbed and kidnapped a woman, then tried to assault her, but she managed to escape him. Rivera found Allen driving the woman's car and stopped him. As he approached, Rivera claims he feared for his life when Allen reached under the car seat; Rivera shot at him three times, striking Allen near the left knee. No weapon was reported to have been found.
10/8/03 - Jose Zamora, h/m, in "extremely grave condition" after being shot in the head by Houston PD officer Carl Sanders, who claims Zamora "suddenly drove toward" him after Sanders discovered him stealing a car.
See also: 4/9/08 - Sanders shoots L. Mendez in the ankle.
9/30/03 - Misti Eldridge, 21, wounded when hit in the hand by shotgun pellets fired by Houston PD officers S.P. Veliz and Ralph G. Chaison during a drug raid.
9/22/03 - Wilbert Lillie, b/m, 21, wounded when shot once in the arm and grazed across the chest by a second shot by Houston PD officer Dirk Bogaard, 37 (12-yr. veteran-narcotics div.) during a drug sting. Bogaard claims that after Lillie pointed a gun at his head demanding his car and money, he (Lillie) got out of the car and walked around to the driver's side; Bogaard then shot him.
Although Guillory exhibited signs of mental illness during this entire incident, again, HPD’s CIT either was not called, or failed to respond; he is the 11th person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers.
See also: (Straker media reports)
07/31/07 - Straker kills Reginald Lee Sumbler;
10/23/06 - Straker kills Mohammad Rafi.
08/13/01 - Straker kills McLoren Anthony Jones; and
06/10/99 - Straker kills Demetrio Martine Hernandez.
Although approximately 25% of HPD’s 5700 police officers have now been trained by its CIT (Critical Incident Team) program to respond to calls involving the mentally ill, apparently not one was either dispatched or willing to respond to this threatened suicide. Beasley was the 10th person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers.
9/2/03 - George Corona, 27, shot by Houston PD narcotics officer Alexander Moreira during drug raid. Moreira, holding a shotgun, told Corona to drop to the floor, and he laid down on a mattress on the floor. Claiming Corona's hand was moving under a pillow and he would not hold still, Moreira shot him in the right forearm. No weapons were found during the search.
See also: (Moreira media reports)
07/21/03 - Moreira shoots Sarah Fay Mize;
03/07/96 - Moreira shoots and kills Clinton Sparks; and
02/21/96 - Moreira was accused of beating Jabar Watson during a traffic stop.
8/21/03 - Francisco Herrera, wounded when shot by DEA officer Mark Webber. Agents were attempting to make arrests during a drug sting when "suspects" ran. Webber claims he fired as a drug dealer tried to run over him.
8/14/03 - Brian Wade Mooney, w/m, unarmed, wounded when shot in the elbow by Houston PD officer A. Garcia, who claimed Mooney tried to run him over in a stolen car.
7/21/03 - Sarah Fay Mize, w/f, 21 and unarmed, injured by glass fragments in her right arm when the car in which she was a passenger was fired on by Houston PD narcotics officer Alexander Moreira (9-yr. veteran).
See also: (Moreira media reports)
09/02/03 - Moreira shoots George Corona;
03/07/96 - Moreira shoots and kills Clinton Sparks; and
02/21/96 - Moreira was accused of beating Jabar Watson during a traffic stop.
7/20/03 - Alejandro M. Santiago, h./m, 29, critically wounded when shot in the chest by Houston PD officer Richard G. Pederson, 45. Police were called when Santiago refused to let a man retrieve his belongings from Santiago's apartment. Pederson claimed Santiago pointed a gun at him through window blinds; he fired 8 times through the window.
6/29/03 - Eric Dwayne Harris, 17 and unarmed, wounded when shot in the leg by Houston PD officer Deborah A. Cannon, 42, a 17-yr. veteran. Harris was allegedly trying to burglarize a car, and a struggle ensued when he was caught by Cannon. Claiming she believed Harris was about to grab her weapon, she drew it and shot him in the knee. No weapon was reported to have been found.
5/18/03 - Michael Blevins, 36 and unarmed, shot by Harris County sheriff’s deputy Keith Lee Thornton. When Blevins stopped his pickup at a boat ramp, Thornton found an outstanding arrest warrant for him; Blevins fled, Thornton gave chase. "Fearing that the pickup would roll over his patrol car, (Thornton) leaned out the window and fired one shot," hitting Blevins in the abdomen.
See also: (Ashabranner media reports)
02/28/03 – Brown wounds Aaron Agee;
06/09/02 – Ashabranner kills Waseem Jung; and
04/14/02 – Ashabranner kills Michael Wayne Goodman.
Terry Wayne Ashabranner
h/m, 31, mentally ill, shot twice in the chest and killed by Ronald L. Plotner, a 5-yr. veteran of HPD, who claims he chased Lozano because he was driving through a residential area with his lights off. Lozano soon crashed and his car turned on its side in a ditch. Plotner then claims Lozano "grabbed an object from his vehicle and pointed it" at him; a witness disputes that, saying Lozano was "on the ground" when he was shot. No weapon was found. He was only a short distance from his sister’s house, where he had been staying since splitting up with his wife. Plotner was no-billed. Lozano is the 6th person known to have been shot to death this year by a Harris County police officer.
2/28/03 - Aaron Agee, suffering from depression, shot and injured by Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable James Randall Brown. Agee was reportedly attacking his wife and son; he began walking toward Brown with a knife in his hand when Brown shot him. Brown was no-billed. This is the 13th officer-involved shooting this year by Harris County police officers.
See also: 5/4/03 - Brown kills Johnny Roth.
2/23/03 - Jake McClain Driver, w/m, 19 and mentally ill, shot in the stomach by Houston police officer B. C. Oxspring, a 4-year veteran with Southwest Patrol. Oxspring and his partner were responding to an "overdose/suicide in progress" call. They said Driver "charged at Oxspring while raising the screwdriver in a stabbing motion." No explanation was given for the failure of HPD’s CIT team to respond to this call. This is the 12th officer-involved shooting this year by Harris County police officers.
2/4/03 - Courteland Prentice Congo, b/m, 21 and unarmed, shot by Houston police officer G.A. Flowers of the Auto Theft Division and an 18-year veteran with HPD. Police said Congo was driving a stolen car and when he "reached for something in the car" Flowers shot him, inflicting a minor laceration under his chin. This is the ninth officer-involved shooting this year by Harris County police officers. No weapon was reported to have been found.
1/15/03 - Juan Rivera Cisneros, unarmed, shot by off-duty Harris County sheriff’s deputy Anthony Joseph Gerac, who fired at least 11 shots at his car. Gerac claimed Cisneros tried to run him down. This is the 7th officer-involved shooting this year by a Harris County police officer.
1/10/03 - German Armando Hernandez, h/m, 23 and unarmed, shot in the arm and critically wounded when shot at by Houston police officers Sgt. L.E. Thomas, T. C. Mathis, (female), I. Gonzalez and K. Hunt, all from Fondren Patrol. Police say he hit a police escort, then ran a red light and hit another car before crashing into a telephone pole. He is the 6th person known to have been shot this year by Harris County police officers.
1/9/03 - Vernis Dwayne Scott, 29, shot in the arm, leg and stomach by Houston police officers Oscar Maldonado, 39, an 8-yr. veteran, and Kevin D. Eichman, 28, a one-mo. rookie, both of Central Patrol. Scott was sitting on a porch firing a gun into the air. Police claim he refused to drop his gun and pointed it at Eichman; both officers then shot at him. More than 20 shell casings were found at the scene. Scott is the 5th person known to have been shot this year by Harris County police officers.
See also: 7/14/09 - Eichman kills Tony Wayne Johnson.
1/7/03 - Alexander Drebing Negrotto
w/m, 35, shot in the chest and critically wounded by Harris County sheriff’s deputy Steven Kelly Shaddox, 37, an 11-yr. veteran, who had responded to a disturbance report. Negrotto had allegedly beat a friend and shot at another man. Claiming Negrotto refused to drop a weapon as he approached the deputy, Shaddox fired several times, striking him at least once in the chest. Negrotto is the 4th person known to have been shot this year by Harris County police officers.
a/m, 23, shot four times (including several shots in the back) and killed by Precinct 6 constable Cpl. Freddie Castillo, a 10-yr. veteran. Police claim Pham fired a gun into a group outside a club, refused to drop the gun and pointed it at deputy constable Danny Avalos; that’s when Castillo shot him. However, at least three civilian witnesses, one of whom was wounded in the foot by one of the gunman’s shots, said that Pham and another man tried to protect them and tackled the gunman and when Pham stood up "the cop fired at him…without any kind of warning…I saw Truyen laying there, gasping for air…And they just left him there." Two of the witnesses said the gunman was taken into custody but was later let go by police. Another witness said Pham was trying to get to his feet when he was shot in the back. Test results to determine if there was gunpowder on Pham’s hands were inconclusive. Castillo was no-billed by a grand jury. Pham is the 2nd person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers.
1/5/03 - Anthony Loyde Bell, b/m, 24, critically wounded by one gunshot to the chest after a chase involving sheriff’s deputy Dennis Ray Castanie, Houston police officer S.D. O’Leary (Southeast Patrol) and Metro police officer Carlos Gene Benavides III. Police said Castanie stopped Bell for speeding but jumped back in his car, shot once at Castanie and fled. Other officers joined the chase, which ended in a collision with Benavides’ car. Bell was injured when shots were exchanged by him and officers. No officer was hurt. He is the 3rd person known to have been shot this year by Harris County police officers.
On 10/15/86, Woods, then a 4-yr. veteran police officer with Brookshire PD and a former military police officer, shot Anthony Carl Spiller, 15. Spiller was a passenger in a pickup truck allegedly stolen by a 17-year-old friend. Woods shot at the truck as he chased it at speeds up to 100 mph. (It is unlawful for a peace officer to shoot at a fleeing suspect.) The truck crashed and the boys ran on foot. Woods chased and shot at them, hitting Spiller in the jaw. Investigators said they do not know why Woods fired at the unarmed teen.
The only other known deadly incident involving a Bellaire police officer occurred on 7/15/95, when 17-year-old Travis Allen was shot twice in the back and killed by officer Michael Leal.
Zell Woods, Bellaire PD
2002
In 2002 there were 33 officer-involved shootings, resulting in 18 civilians killed and 19 wounded, including 2 minors. 17 were unarmed, and 4 were known or suspected to be mentally ill. All of the officers were no-billed.
12/6/02 - Ralph Reiner Myers, 43, shot in the upper left back by Harris County sheriff’s deputies Luis Guillermo Figueroa and Timothy Gene Arfele. Myers had reportedly stolen some DVDs and was chased around Houston for nearly an hour until he was shot in the back.
See also: 04/24/07 - Figueroa shoots Andrew Gibbs, 14, in the back of his leg; and
11/04/02 - Figueroa shoots Rodney Ali Baldwin in the back and kills him.
w/f, 28 and mentally ill, shot once in the abdomen and killed by Houston police officer Robert Ray Lara, on the force just 11 months at the northeast patrol division. Police claim she pointed a gun at them and threatened to shoot, but her mother said Rachel never pointed the gun or verbally threatened them and that she repeatedly told the officers she was trying to make them shoot her. Despite knowing that the call involved a mentally ill person, no officer trained to handle such critical incidents was dispatched. Rachel shouted, "Shoot me, shoot me" at the officers; Lara granted her death wish. She is the 17th person known to have been shot to death this year by Harris County police officers.
11/7/02 - Eric Alan Rencher, w/m, critically wounded when shot in the shoulder and leg by Vossler Sigmond "Bubba" Hinkel Jr., 29, a Harris County Pct. 4 deputy constable for just one year. Hinkel had responded to a family disturbance, and claimed Rencher pointed a gun at him. Although Hinkel was told the gun was a non-working antique, he shot him as Rencher's wife, daughter and son looked on.
b/m, 24, shot in the back and killed by Harris County Sheriff’s deputy Luis Guillermo Figueroa, a 4-year veteran, who claimed Baldwin pointed a "black object" at him as Figueroa chased him. Witnesses dispute this, saying Baldwin had no weapon.
See also: 04/24/07 - Figueroa shoots Andrew Gibbs, 14, in the back of his leg; and
12/06/02 - Figueroa shoots Ralph Reiner Meyers in the back.
10/9/02 - Richard Jarrard Petley, 35, shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Bruce Allen Watson, working off-duty as a security guard at a restaurant. Watson saw Petley loading two of the employees' bikes in a van, and told him to stop. He said Petley instead got in the van, and claims Petley drove toward him. Watson fired at least eight times, hitting Petley in the abdomen.
9/15/02 - Cary Dwayne Cobb, 34, critically wounded when shot in the chest by Harris County sheriff's deputy Ralph Leon Gideon Jr., when he responded to a family dispute. Gideon claims he shot Cobb as he lunged at him with a pool stick.
9/12/02 - Daniel Polk and Michael Leno Vitello, wounded when shot by Houston PD narcotics officers Dale S. Crawford and Dennis Nelius, and DPS officers Wilmon Smith and Oscar Enriquez in a drug bust. As one officer stood outside the car buying drugs, he claimed the man pulled a gun and said this was a holdup. He also alleged that a man in the back seat said he was pointing a gun at his head. The officer then grabbed the gun from the man in the front seat and shot the man in the back seat in the head and chest. As the man in the front seat ran, other officers shot at him, striking him in the arm. It is not known which officer shot which "suspect."
See also: 9/7/04 - Crawford kills Johnny Michael Jenkins Jr.
8/5/02 - Artie Rufus McDonald, 34, shot by Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable Troy Alan Guidry, who said McDonald had rammed his patrol car with a moving van, pinning him between his car and the van. Guidry then fired several shots into the van, striking McDonald in the arm and chest. McDonald was suspected of being involved in a burglary with the van.
8/3/02 - John Milton Forderson Jr., 55, critically injured after being shot by Houston PD officer Eric F. Westrup, who said the homeless Forderson was lying in the middle of a residential street, and that as he approached him, Forderson began swinging a piece of lumber at him while shouting, "Somebody is going to die and it won’t be me." Suspecting Forderson of being mentally ill, Westrup says he called for a CIT unit and began backing away, but claimed he was then forced to shoot Forderson. The bullet went through his elbow and into his chest. This apparently mentally ill man was then charged with aggravated assault.
7/29/02 - Leslie Glen Wright, 17, shot in the neck by Harris County sheriff's deputy Craig Darnell Thomas, working off-duty as a security guard. Wright was sitting in a stolen car in a parking lot. When told by Thomas to get out of the car, Wright allegedly drove toward Thomas. Two other deputies - Darryl Gordon and Toby Joseph Kroeger - fired at the car, but their bullets struck Thomas instead in the right thigh and left foot. Wright later turned himself in to authorities.
See also: 1/6/99 - Villareal is one of six officers that killed Keithen Briscoe and Empra TaDar Moore, and wounded Robert Moore.
7/16/02 - James Lewis Sullivan, 17, w/m, shot in the abdomen by Houston police officer Gerald M. Goines, 37, w/m, who claimed Sullivan was planning to burglarize his home.
b/m, 23, shot and killed by Harris County sheriff’s deputy Wallace Wayne Wyatt Jr. as he sat in a friend’s car with the friend’s 2-year-old child sitting directly behind him. Menifee was removing his belongings from the apartment he had shared with his former girlfriend when a neighbor called police alleging a burglary. After Wyatt and deputy Richard Montes arrived a phone call at the apartment was received from Jessica Patterson; she told the deputy who answered that Menifee lived there and was asked to come and identify him. Apparently the deputies then tried to arrest Menifee; a struggle ensued, and Montes’ leg was broken. As Patterson pulled into the driveway Menifee jumped into her car and urged her to drive away, but she kept her foot on the brake as Wyatt approached. Patterson told Wyatt she knew Menifee, but he then pointed his gun at Menifee. Patterson told him not to shoot, that her baby was in the car, and continued to tell Wyatt, "We’re not going anywhere." Then Wyatt shot Menifee three times through the windshield.
Matthew Wayne McCord
Also see: 11/13/99 - McCord shot Martin Cortez Gonzales in the arm.
6/21/02 - Anthony Lane, 21, shot in the arm, and Louis Perkins, shot in the left side by Harris County sheriff's deputies Timothy Lauder, 32 (10-yr. vet), and Eddie Lopez, 37 (14-yr. vet), after a high-speed chase in a stolen car. After spikes caused them to stop, officers said Lane and Perkins began moving around; Lopez shot at them three times, and Lauder shot once. Neither Lane nor Perkins was armed.
6/12/02 - Douglas Dwayne Fleming, w/m, 47, wounded when shot by Houston PD narcotics officer G.N. Ford (10-yr. vet, SE Patrol). Ford and his partner saw Fleming and another person in a motel parking lot. When they told him to get out of his car, Fleming instead tried to drive away. Claiming he thought his partner was being dragged by the car, Ford shot into the windshield, striking Fleming.
See also: 4/23/00 – Conrad kills Richard Leon Keohane.
a/m, 19, shot to death in front of his home by Harris County sheriff's deputies Sgt. Tommy Joe Bohannon, J.W. Jones, Jeffrey Scott Thomas, Kenneth Ray Alee, and Tony Eugene Lewis; and Precinct 4 deputy constables Terry Wayne Ashabranner and Michael Craig Johnson, after a brief car chase. Police said Jung was driving erratically and after they stopped him, he fired several shots at them before speeding away. They state that when Jung pulled into his driveway he began firing at them; about 50 shots were exchanged. Shot multiple times, Jung was killed; Sgt. Bohannon was shot twice and seriously injured. (media reports)
See also: (Ashabranner media reports)
05/04/03 - Ashabranner kills Johnny J. Roth III.; and
04/14/02 - Ashabranner kills Michael Wayne Goodman.
Terry Wayne Ashabranner
5/18/02 - Cesar Herrejon, a minor, and Alex Gonzalez, shot by Precinct 6 reserve constable J. A. Flores. No other details available at this time.
5/17/02 - Jessie Maciel Jr., 37, h/m, mentally ill, shot in the abdomen by Houston PD officer O.R. Cisneros, 34, a 5-yr. veteran with South Central Patrol Division. Police say they were called by Maciel’s mother after he threatened to kill her if she did not leave the house they shared. Cisneros found Maciel nearby and claimed he shot him after Maciel threatened him with a machete. Once more, no member of HPD’s Critical Incident Team was asked to respond to this call, even though Maciel reportedly has a long history of mental illness.
5/13/02 - Mark Louis Fletcher, 24, shot "at least twice" by Harris County sheriff’s deputy Robert Stanley Spurgeon Jr., 36, a field training officer from Humble. Deputies apparently were following up on a neighborhood dispute when Fletcher fired at them from his aunt’s home at a trailer park, hitting Spurgeon in the chest, who then shot Fletcher. Spurgeon was not injured because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
4/21/02 - Bryan Hauzle Sanders, 30, b/m, shot in the foot at an after-hours lounge by off-duty Houston PD officer Myron Lindley, 39, a 12-yr. veteran with the Fondren Division. Police say Sanders pointed a shotgun at Lindley after a dispute with the manager of the club over a cover charge.
Goodman is described as a loving, caring person by family and friends; he was known to help elderly neighbors and others. (media reports)
See also: (Ashabranner media reports)
05/04/03 - Ashabranner kills Johnny J. Roth, III., and
06/09/02 - Ashabranner kills Waseem Jung.
Terry Wayne Ashabranner
3/28/02 - Bobby Carl Leanox, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Wendi Renee Barnett, who had responded to a burglary call. Leanox allegedly threatened her with a tire iron, and she shot him in the leg.
19, h/m, shot in the chest, leg and hip and killed by Houston police officers E. Blankenship and Stuart F. Red after a citizen called police when he saw Meza with a gun in his hand. Witnesses say that at least 10 patrol cars and 6 unmarked police cars responded. Police then claim Meza waved the gun at officers, and one officer “fired at least twice, causing (Meza) to stumble and fall.” The gun was not loaded. In 1980, 1983 and 1994 Red was involved in other fatal shootings.
w/m, 42, mentally ill, shot once in the chest and killed by Houston police officer Jesus L. Gutierrez, h/m, who found Stuart watering a parking lot with a garden hose when checking on a report of someone looking into car windows. Gutierrez says Stuart acted erratically and claimed Stuart twice tried to steal his patrol car and, after running behind a building, Stuart returned and “lunged” at him with his hand in his pocket. Gutierrez claimed he feared Stuart might have a weapon. Although Stuart exhibited aberrant behavior, Gutierrez failed to notify a member of HPD’s Crisis Intervention Team, who are trained to de-escalate encounters with the mentally ill. Stuart had no weapon. (media reports)
2001
12/15/01 - Darrel Turk, 34, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer R. Cardenas, 30 (6-yr. veteran). Cardenas, a companion and a small child were walking to his car when two men demanded his money at gunpoint. He complied, the robbers left, and Cardenas took his companions back to his apartment. He then retrieved two weapons, found the men at the apartment complex and confronted them. Gunshots allegedly were exchanged as Cardenas chased them; Turk was hit in the right arm, left leg and head. (media reports)
11/1/01 - Robert E. Woodard III, wounded when shot in the leg by Harris County sheriff's deputy Steven Kelly Shaddox. Woodard and four companions had robbed a liquor store and were being chased by police. Shaddox claims he saw Woodard reach into his waistband, so he shot him. It is not reported whether he was shot from the front or the back, or whether he had a weapon.
w/m, 38 and known by arriving police to be mentally ill, is shot 14 times (several in the back) and killed by LaPorte PD officers Jeffery Dalton, Jeffrey N. Kominek, Stephen M. Martin and Steven R. Ermel, who claim he charged at them after being ordered to drop a screwdriver. Meadours’ sister had asked police for help getting him to a hospital because he was increasingly distraught. Claiming the situation unsafe, the officers prevented medical personnel from approaching him. Ermel then shot him 3 times with a beanbag shotgun, with no apparent effect. Officers then say Meadours ran toward them threateningly with a screwdriver, so they shot him. To his credit, Ermel did not use deadly force on Meadours, as the other three officers did.(media reports)
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10/26/01 - Clarence Lorenzo Mumford, b/m, 38, sustains minor injuries when shot by Houston PD officer M.D. Prause, 30 (9-yr. veteran, Westside Div.), who had responded to a hold-up alarm. Prause found a masked Mumford inside the store, says he pointed a gun at him, and Prause shot him.
10/21/01 - Darryl D. Gorman, 30, unarmed, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer Hollis D. Felder, 40 (16-yr. vet). After being asked to leave the premises because they were loitering, Felder, working as a security guard, asked Gorman and his four companions to leave. They refused and began hitting Felder, and two other guards came to his assistance. As the fight progressed, Felder's glasses were knocked off, but he claims he saw Gorman move toward another officer and, thinking he was armed, shot twice, striking him in the left side.
10/4/01 - Beau Christopher Freeze, 19, wounded when shot in the abdomen by Deer Park PD officer Joseph R. Scarafile III. Freeze was at municipal court for traffic violations when Scarafile recognized him as being wanted for burglary. Freeze fled, but was soon surrounded by three officers and ordered to lie on the ground. Scarafile claims he then thought Freeze was reaching for a weapon, so he shot him. Freeze was unarmed.
9/13/01 - Patrick Bell, b/m, 30, and Trellis Moss, b/m, 24, wounded when shot by Houston PD undercover narcotics officers Chris Massey and Stephen Fisher. When the officers tried to buy drugs from them, they said they knew they were cops, and the officers began walking away. Officers then claim that Bell and Moss began running towards them with pistols, and gunshots were exchanged. The officers were not injured; Bell was shot in the chest, and Moss was shot in his right knee.
9/9/01 - Mario Zaragoza Rosales, h/m, wounded when shot in the arm by off-duty Houston PD officer D.M. Lopez, working security at a restaurant. A bystander told officers that he had been threatened with a gun by two men in a car. When the officers ordered the men out of their car, they claim the passenger bent down and may have been reaching for something. Lopez grabbed him and claims his gun went off accidentally as they rolled onto the ground.
8/27/01 - Paul Gregory Ramirez, h/m, 46, wounded when shot in the left arm and left hip by off-duty Houston PD officer M.A. Lumpkin, 26 (South Central Div.) Ramirez attempted to rob the bank where Lumpkin was working security. When he announced, "This is a robbery," Lumpkin fired at him several times, hitting him twice. Police say Ramirez had a butcher knife in his possession.
8/19/01 - Eugene Oneal, 67, shot in the right thigh by Houston PD officer R.J. Briones. Oneal's business had recently been burglarized, and he was spending the night in his office trailer to guard it. Meanwhile, HPD officers were searching the area for a drug suspect. When Briones found Oneal's door unlocked and began to enter, Oneal suddenly awoke and, thinking he was a burglar, fired a shot at the officer. Briones returned fire, striking Oneal in the leg.
8/15/01 - Keith Terril Davis, w/m, 32, wounded when shot in the arm by Harris County sheriff's deputy William Randall Christian, a 12-year veteran. Employees at a hotel near his home were frightened when Davis pounded on a window, and called police. A friend drove Davis home, and his family called 911 to get help for him. But Christian, responding to the hotel call, found Davis at his home, entered and found him sitting on his couch, naked and clearly unarmed. Christian claims Davis tried to grab his gun, and he shot him at close range. Forensic evidence, however, indicates Davis was shot from across the room. Davis was acquitted of criminal charges when jurors cited discrepancies in Christian's story.
See also: 2004 - Christian was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a woman he raped after stopping her on a traffic violation - he was sentenced to 5 years in prison; and
7/19/02 - Christian shoots and kills Leonard Michael Mosqueda.
See also: (Straker media reports)
07/31/07 - Straker kills Reginald Lee Sumbler;
10/23/06 - Straker kills Mohammad Rafi;
09/02/03 - Straker kills Mary J. Beasley; and
06/10/99 - Straker kills Demetrio Martine Hernandez.
See also: (Pisaro media reports)
08/01/06 - Pisaro wounds Steven Ferrel;
03/12/01 - Pisaro wounds John Jones Jr.;
08/07/98 - Pisaro shoots fellow officer Richard Pedraza;
01/01/93 - Pisaro shoots and kills Amos Perry, age 15; and
12/20/91 - Pisaro paralyzes Rosalind Joyce Bell.
7/25/01 - Javier Martinez Jr., h/m, 21, wounded when shot by off-duty Houston PD officer Roland Nieto, 27 (3-yr. veteran-Southwest Patrol Div.), who claimed he heard gunshots while being followed by a van driven by Martinez. When Martinez got out and approached Nieto using abusive language, Nieto claimed he believed Martinez was reaching for a weapon, so he shot him. He did not have a weapon.
7/9/01 - Kevin Germaine Britton, b/m, 24, wounded when shot three times in the leg by off-duty Houston PD officers T.C. Gamble and Selvyn J. Ellis, working security at a nightclub. Officers said Britton fired 8 shots as he walked through two groups that were arguing and fighting outside the club. Claiming he refused to drop his weapon and turned toward them, the officers shot at him.
7/6/01 - Anthony Bernard Campbell Jr., b/m, 22, wounded when shot in the chest by Houston PD bicycle officer Leonard D. Smith (Southeast Div.), who suspected Campbell of making a drug transaction. Smith claims Campbell tried to drive away as he was leaning into his car to put it in park, that he feared for his life, so he shot him.
6/24/01 - Doran Anthony Graves, b/m, 41, critically wounded when shot twice in the left side of his chest by Houston PD officer F.J. Heenan (4-yr vet, North Div.) in a motel parking lot. Heenan had seen Graves' pickup in another motel parking lot earlier, and was questioning him about his activities. Graves allegedly became uncooperative, and Heenan ordered him out of his pickup. After doing so, Heenan claims Graves reached back into the truck's seat and grabbed a gun, so he shot him.
6/16/01 - Fredrick Callaway, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Mark E. White, who was working off-duty as a security guard. White was clearing the parking lot when someone shot at him from a car. As the car drove toward him, he fired into it, striking Callaway.
5/22/01 - Alex Adams, b/m, 18, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Enrique Duharte-Tur, 34, working off-duty with three other officers. As the officers approached a group of men, one of the men dropped something and all but Adams (who was on crutches with a cast on his leg) ran away. Adams pulled a gun from inside his cast and shot HPD officer Albert Vasquez in the head, killing him. A gun battle ensued, with Duharte being shot four times, and Adams once in the leg. Duharte-Tur was critically injured, but survived; Adams was sentenced to life in prison.
5/8/01 - Ardis Smith, b/m, 30, unarmed, wounded when shot in both legs by Houston PD officer H.E. Gilliard, who claimed that because Smith had his hands tucked inside the waistband of his trousers, he thought he was armed. Smith had robbed a grocery store and then broke into a nearby residence to evade police.
Gilliard was also involved in the 08/28/91, death of a man who shot his two children.
3/12/01 John L. Jones Jr., 40, b/m, and known to be mentally ill, shot by Houston police SWAT officer Anthony R. Pisaro, who claims he shot Jones to protect himself and other officers when Jones charged at (him) with a knife and club. Police were called because Jones was breaking windows and furniture in his motel room. (media reports)
See also: (Pisaro media reports)
08/01/06 - shoots and wounds Steven Ferrel;
08/01/01 - Pisaro kills Haywood Louis Ogburn, 32;
08/07/98 - Pisaro shoots fellow officer Richard Pedraza;
01/01/93 - Pisaro shoots and kills Amos Perry; and
12/20/91 - Pisaro shoots Rosalind Joyce Bell, paralyzing her.
3/1/01 - Lee Arthur Johnson, b/m, 34, wounded when shot in the leg by Houston PD officer Jason Aldrete, 25, who claims Johnson pulled a box cutter from his pocket when ordered to show his hands. He is charged with cocaine possession.
1/28/01 - Robert E. Cormier
42, a 6-year veteran with the Harris County sheriff’s office, wounded when shot in the chest by Harris County sheriff’s deputy Raynard F. Guillory, 33 (a 7-year veteran), following a dispute at a Super Bowl Party at Cormier’s home.
2000 - Officer-involved Shootings
12/31/00 - Jose Francisco Castilleja, h/m, 26, critically wounded when shot by Tomball PD officers Juan A. Moreno and Thomas Scott Collora. Castilleja had shot at a passing car, grazing the passenger. When officers responded and attempted to question him, they claim Castilleja pulled a pistol and fired at them. Neither of the officers was injured; Castilleja was shot at least once in the chest.
h/m, 49, is shot in the arm, leg and head and killed by Baytown police officer Scott Dwaine James, 30, w/m. Morales had tried to break into a former girlfriend’s home. When James confronted him, Morales shot him “at least 4 times.” James returned fire, killing Morales. A neighbor said he “heard at least 12 shots.” James was shot in his arm, but survived because he was wearing a bulletproof vest. James has two brothers who are police officers with Pasadena and La Porte. Gregg James said he had shot two men on separate occasions; one was wounded, the other was killed. He said, “My parents are proud of us.”
Scott James
11/6/00 - David Allan Reeves, w/m, 30, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer W.R. Parker. Reeves had robbed a bank, and when officers tried to arrest him, attempted to drive away. Officers shot at the fleeing vehicle, which then crashed into some parked cars. Reeves was found to be shot.
10/27/00 - Juan Cabazos, wounded when shot by Harris County Pct. 1 deputy constable Matthew Francis Haynes. After stopping Cabazos for driving erratically, Haynes claims Cabazos put the car in reverse and sped toward him. Haynes shot through the rear window of his car, hitting Cabazos in the neck.
w/m, 70, shot and killed by Harris County sheriff's deputy Geary Wayne Stephens. Whitehead, probably delusional, had confronted neighbors, thinking they were dealing drugs. The neighbors called police and deputy John Charles Risley responded. After 20 minutes Risley called for backup and was then shot and killed by Whitehead. When Stephens arrived he shot and killed Whitehead when Whitehead allegedly raised his shotgun toward him. Stephens was no-billed.
9/29/00 - Javier Carrasco, h/m, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Mario Guadalupe Quintanilla. Carrasco and another man had robbed a fast food restaurant, and crashed their car while being chased by deputies. Quintanilla alleges that Carrasco pointed a gun at him when he exited the car, then ran away. As Quintanilla chased him, he claims that Carrasco again turned and pointed a gun at him, so he shot him -- in the back.
See also: 4/29/00 - Quintanilla shoots Antoine Ford.
9/29/00 - Unidentified Hispanic man shot in the back by Harris County Deputy Sheriff M.G. Quintanilla, who had responded to a robbery call and stopped two unidentified Hispanic men in a stolen car. Police claim both men were armed and fled after crashing their car. During a foot chase, one of the men “pointed his weapon” at Quintanilla, who then shot him.
9/29/00 - John Starks, 28, shot at twice by HPD officer C.R. Hazlett, 42, who responded to a disturbance call. Hazlett said Starks walked toward him, made a movement with his hand, and he saw an object in Starks’ hand which he believed to be a gun. Starks was not injured. The “object” was not identified; there was no gun.
9/27/00 - John Patrick Birdsall, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer M.L. Scott, 41, who went to a homeless camp to talk to Birdsall after he created a disturbance at a grocery store. Officers claim he attached Scott with a lead pipe, and as the two fell down a concrete incline, Scott fired once, grazing Birdsall's arm. Officers then convinced him to put down the pipe.
9/3/00 - Enrique Sanchez Alarcon, h/m, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Raymond Vincent Campos, who was chasing Alarcon after he kidnapped and stabbled a woman.
w/m, 30, shot and killed by Houston police homicide officers M. MacCammon and Richard Moreno, who were attempting to arrest Alexander for murder. When officers ordered Alexander out of his car, he "stepped out shooting." He was shot multiple times by the two officers.
7/26/00 - Adam Joseph Langston, w/m, 18, and Alcide J. Plumbar III, b/m, 26, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Rosalie C. Headley (5-yr. veteran), who had stopped them for driving without headlights and found their van to be stolen. Plumbar (the passenger) got out of the van and began walking away, then Langston also left the van. Headley claims Langston "made an overt movement while turning," and she shot him in the buttocks. She then claims Plumbar came toward her, dropped his hands, turned away, then came toward her again, and she shot him in the shoulder.
5/21/00 - Damon Antonio Brown, b/m, 31, wounded when shot in the left leg by off-duty Harris County sheriff's deputy Trence Everett Hicks, who suspected Brown had stolen from the store where he was working security. Brown attempted to flee, and Hicks, claiming he thought Brown was armed, shot him from behind. Brown had no weapon.
5/15/00 - Jimmie Lee Smith, 52, and Taylor Johnson, shot by Houston PD officer Pedro Lopez Jr., h/m, and DEA agent Chad Scott during drug bust. Officers claim Smith and Johnson were crouched behind a couch, and Johnson pointed a gun at them. Both officers fired; Smith was shot in the leg and face, and Johnson was critically wounded when shot in the back.
5/10/00 - Milton Vasquez, wounded when shot in the shoulder by North Harris Montgomery Community College police officers Jess Law and Kirk Coker, who claimed Vasquez and 3 others were trying to steal a car. The officer and other security guards further claim the "getaway" car tried to run over one of them, and they fired into the vehicle, striking Vasquez.
5/1/00 - Roque Romero Bonilla, h/m, 32, wounded when shot in the neck and shoulder by Houston PD officer D.A. Thomas, 37 (16-yr. vet). Bonilla was chased by several officers for speeding but refused to pull. After stalling the car's engine, he got out and allegedly waved a pistol at the officers, and Thomas shot him.
4/29/00 - Antoine Ford, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Mario Guadalupe Quintanilla. Ford and a companion had robbed a fast-food restaurant. As they left, deputies ordered them to stop, but instead they fled. Quintanilla then shot Ford in the leg.
See also: 9/29/00 - Quintanilla shoots Javier Carrasco.
See also: 6/12/02 - Conrad shoots and kills Daniel Damian Jr. and Carlos Alberto Ramirez during home invasion; fellow deputy Shane Ronald Bennett is also killed by Conrad's gunshot to the back of his head.
w/m, 49, shot 10 times in the head and torso and killed by Houston PD undercover narcotics officer Mark R. Prendergast, w/m, 37. Police claim Robinson was taking them to buy drugs, but witnesses said Robinson knew Prendergast and his partner, Jimmy D. Cargill (w/m, 33) were narcotics officers and was taking them to the home of a man that had attacked him. The officers also claim that Robinson, riding in the back seat of their car, held a knife at the back of Cargill's neck (the driver), and Prendergast shot him. (Robinson was very scantily dressed and could not have hidden a knife beneath his clothes.) The alleged weapon, a cheap serrated steak knife, was picked up by police from the side of the Gulf Freeway about 300 feet from the stopped car with no fingerprints, blood or scratch marks on it. The rear car windows were rolled down when the HPD investigator arrived, although blood and tissue found on them indicated they had been adjusted after Robinson was shot. In a civil suit filed against the officers, the judge stated that evidence in the suit "calls into question Officer Prendergast's version of events." Both Prendergast and Cargill have had numerous complaints filed against them, at least 14 of which were sustained. Prendergast has shot more people than any other active HPD officer; he was no-billed in all of them. (media reports)
See also: (Cargill media reports) and (Prendergast media reports)
09/07/04 - Cargill and his partner, Dale S. Crawford, kill Johnny Michael Jenkins Jr., in circumstances identical to this 4/19/00 incident;
07/15/99 - Prendergast and Cargill shoot Deandre Lamon Carter in similar circumstances;
1992 - Prendergast said he was pulling a suspect from a car after a traffic stop. There was a struggle and his gun went off;
1989 - District attorney's records show a shooting leading to the injury of a civilian that involved Prendergast . There was no further information.
10/16/86 - Cargill and his partner, R.L. Foxworth, kill Alice Marie Rhodes;
03/15/85 - Cargill and Foxworth kill Sylvester Nava;
09/19/84 - Prendergast shoots Steven W. Lewis, 32;
1983 - Riding his bicycle after midnight, Prendergast shoots a motorist who offers to sell him pot;
07/10/82 - Still on rookie probation, Prendergast kills Donald Wayne Williams, 23, who he claims tried to rob him and another off-duty rookie officer as they left the parking lot of a restaurant; and
1981 - While still in the Police Academy, Prendergast was investigated for accidental discharge of a firearm.
4/19/00 - Sean Bob Reed, 27, wounded when shot once in the hip by off-duty Harris County sheriff's deputy Segary Virgil when Reed tried to rob a bank.
4/14/00 - Michael Wayne Johnson, b/m, 40, wounded when shot in the leg by off-duty Houston PD officer J.G. Chenier, 49 (14-yr. vet, Criminal Intelligence Division), who claimed that Johnson shot at him when he tried to break up an argument between Johnson and his wife.
4/10/00 - Ralph W. Webber, struggling with officers trying to arrest him at his home, is grazed by a bullet fired when Harris County sheriff's deputy James Eric Romine reholstered his gun. The bullet also went through the deputy's pants.
3/15/00 - Melvin James Moore Jr., unarmed, shot in the leg by Chambers County sheriff’s investigator Rod Yarborough after traffic stop. Yarborough claims Moore reached behind his back, so he shot him.
3/10/00 - Willie Emmanuel Guerrero, h/m, 19, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Mark Z. Escamilla (2-yr. veteran) at a sports bar. The bar's manager had been beaten, and as Escamilla began taking statements from witnesses, he claims they tried to surround him. He retreated out the door, but claims Guerrero continued walking toward him and making threats. Escamilla then shot him in the left wrist and left thigh.
3/3/00 - Tyson Demond Braxton, b/m, 18, wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Christopher L. Slater, who saw Braxton inside a bookstore wearing a ski mask and robbing the store. When Braxton came out, Slater claims he refused to drop his gun, pointing it instead at Slater, who then shot him in the stomach and upper leg.
See also: 4/17/09 - Slater shoots Gerard Jonathan Barnett.
1/31/00 - Jeffery Lynn Pruitt, w/m, 37 and mentally ill, shot in the ankle and buttocks by Houston PD officer Jimmy H. Higgins, 44 (Clear Lake patrol div., 19-yr. vet). Pruitt had threatened suicide and was sitting on a stool in his garage when Higgins arrived. Claiming Pruitt lunged at him with a knife, he shot him twice; Pruitt disputes the officer's account, saying he never threatened or lunged at Higgins.
See also: 1998 - Higgins shoots Paul Uwanda.
1999 - Officer-involved ShootingsShootings
12/16/99 - Monica Reshun Pruitt, 27, wounded when shot by Hedwig Village PD officer Arthur Zambada. Pruitt had tried to use a forged check or credit card at a Target store, and fled when security personnel tried to question her. Zambada was in the area and got out of his patrol car to help look for her. When he saw her getting into a car, he tried to stop her, but he claims she backed up and the car hit his leg. He shot as she fled, striking her leg.
12/3/99 - Alex Shepherd, wounded when shot by Harris County sheriff's deputy Joseph Richard Quinn, who had responded to an alarm from an apartment complex office. Quinn claims Shepherd pointed his hands at him as if he had a gun, so he shot him.12/1/99 - Heather Christine Williams, w/f, 25, shot in the shoulder by Pct. 6 Cpl. Ray Sloan. Police say Williams was driving a stolen pickup, and Sloan chased her until she crashed into a fire hydrant. He got out of his car and was walking toward Williams, when he claims she accelerated toward him. Sloan fired several times at her, striking her twice.11/13/99 - Martin Cortez Gonzales, h/m, 22, shot in the arm by Harris County Pct. 1 deputy constable Matthew Wayne McCord, who had stopped him for a traffic violation. McCord claims Gonzales tried to escape from his patrol car, they struggled, and McCord shot him.
Matthew Wayne McCord
See also: 7/11/02 - McCord shoots and kills Melvin Alejandro Romero.
11/8/99 - Alex Reyes, unarmed, shot in abdomen by Richmond PD Sgt. Dan Cox while being arrested for drug possession.
10/6/99 - Carlos Vicente Brand, wounded when shot by Harris County Organized Crime Unit officer Jeff Thomas during drug bust. Police claim that as Thomas started to arrest him, Brand reached toward the floor of the car he was in, and Thomas shot him.
9/19/99 - Paul Travis Gammill, w/m, 53, critically wounded when shot in the stomach by Texas DPS Lt. Phillip Goodwin during drug bust. Goodwin claims Gammill reached for his fanny pack, so he shot him. It is assumed that Gammill was unarmed since no weapon was reported to have been found.
21, unarmed, shot and killed by off-duty Houston PD officer Richard A. Williams, 28. Police say Arboleda refused to follow Williams' traffic instructions; Williams gave chase and when Arboleda was trapped in heavy traffic, Williams ordered him out of the car. When Arboleda allegedly swerved toward the officer, Williams shot him three (3) times through the car windshield.
w/f, 37, unarmed and mentally ill, is shot once in the abdomen and killed by Houston PD officer Joseph H. Shackett. Although reportedly suicidal and having committed no offense, Shackett nevertheless hunted for and found her walking on a city street, wearing a fanny pack. Colleen told him she didn't want to talk to him, and continued walking as Shackett "kept an eye on her." Claiming he thought she had a gun, despite having been told by Colleen's mother less that 15 minutes earlier that she was unarmed and had no access to guns, Shackett calls for backup and 5 HPD cars, with lights flashing, quickly surround her. Shackett and other officers bombard Colleen with orders to drop her fanny pack. Shackett then claims that Colleen approached his car with her hand inside her fanny pack, saying she was holding it as if it were a gun. Shackett shot her when she was just inches away. Despite an HPD general order that requires officers to "detain all witnesses," Shackett nevertheless ignores the numerous civilian witnesses to this murder and allows all traffic to proceed, thus ensuring that no witnesses other than police officers and EMS personnel remain. And despite the severity of her injury, Colleen lay on a gurney for 6 minutes before the ambulance left the site. Neither Shackett nor EMS personnel called for Life Flight, which likely would have saved her life since she died after arriving at the hospital 45 minutes later. Colleen was allowed to bleed to death, further ensuring no civilian witness to this incident. Shackett was no-billed. (media reports)
See also: (Shackett media reports)
09/26/99 - Tense Encounters, Tragic Consequences;
09/26/99 - Aggressive officers scare mentally ill;
10/05/99 - Calling police should not be death sentence for mentally ill; and
02/12/99 - Shackett kills Carlos Mundo Baraona and Gustavo Alberto Mejia.
8/23/99 - Emmett Dwayne Doyle, b/m, 29, shot in the shoulder and face by his uncle, Houston PD Sgt. Johnnie McFarland, b/m, 42 (15-yr. vet, Emergency Communications Div.), who claims he thought Doyle was wanted for a forgery or robbery. When he saw Doyle at a bus stop, McFarland tried to detain him, a struggle ensued, and he then claims his gun went off accidentally, striking Doyle. It was later determined that Doyle was not wanted for either offense. McFarland was acquitted when tried for improper conduct.
7/15/99 - Deandre Lamon Carter, shot and wounded by Houston PD narcotics officers Mark R. Prendergast and Jimmy D. Cargill during alleged drug bust. The officers claim that one of two men with Carter pulled a gun and started shooting at them, and they returned fire as they all ran, striking Carter.
See also: (Cargill media reports) and (Prendergast media reports)
09/07/04 - Cargill and his partner, Dale S. Crawford, kill Johnny Michael Jenkins Jr., in similar circumstances;
04/19/00 - Prendergast and Cargill kill Lanny Blaine Robinson in identical circumstances;
1992 - Prendergast said he was pulling a suspect from a car after a traffic stop. There was a struggle and his gun went off;
1989 - District attorney's records show a shooting leading to the injury of a civilian that involved Prendergast;
10/16/86 - Cargill and his partner, R.L. Foxworth, kill Alice Marie Rhodes;
03/15/85 - Cargill and Foxworth kill Sylvester Nava;
09/19/84 - Prendergast shoots Steven W. Lewis, 32;
1983 - Riding his bicycle after midnight, Prendergast shot a motorist who he claims offered to sell him pot;
07/10/82 - Still on rookie probation, Prendergast shot and killed Donald Wayne Williams, 23, who he claims tried to rob him and another off-duty rookie officer as they left the parking lot of a restaurant; and
1981 - While still in the Police Academy, Prendergast was investigated for accidental discharge of a firearm.
6/19/99 - Clarence Lee Jackson, 34, wounded when shot in the chest by off-duty Houston ISD police officer Paul B. Smithers, who saw Jackson with a car radio in the parking lot of the apartment complex where he was working security. Jackson ran, began climbing over a fence, then jumped on Smithers, who claims his gun then accidentally went off, striking Jackson. He was not seriously wound.
h/m, 33, fatally shot in the head and killed by Houston PD officers Patrick J. Straker and Julian D. Coleman II after SWAT standoff. Police say he tried to run them over. Hernandez was wanted for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Irene Francis Zarogosa. Straker and Coleman were no-billed. (media reports)See also: (Straker media reports)
07/31/07 - Straker kills Reginald Lee Sumbler;
10/23/06 - Straker kills Mohammad Rafi;
09/02/03 - Straker kills Mary J. Beasley; and
08/13/01 - Straker kills McLoren Anthony Jones.
6/9/99 - Archie Doyle Smith, w/m, 30, critically injured when shot once in the leg and twice in the stomach by Houston PD officers J.A. Hernandez, Damian P. Garcia, W.M. Ladewig and R.G. Huston. Smith, upset by marital problems, was firing a gun inside his business. When officers arrived, they claim Smith began shooting at them, and they returned fire.5/14/99 - Mexican government considers warning citizens to avoid traveling in Houston because of fatal shootings by police, citing the shooting deaths of Uvaldo Garcia Armendariz, Pedro Oregon and Eulogio Perez. Mexican officials say its government rarely if at all issues travel warnings for its citizens.
Also see: 8/22/08 - Fisher wounds Miguel Benavidez.
3/13/99 - Guadalupe Herrera, 41, shot in leg by Houston PD Sgt. Carl Reed as Herrera allegedly attacks his ex-wife with a knife.
3/11/99 - Unidentified 18-year-old male, shot at by HPD officer M. G. Ybanez, not in uniform or marked car, after the teen allegedly points gun at Ybanez. He is charged with deadly conduct.
3/3/99 - Steven Jeffrey Sasin, 41, shot in shoulder and abdomen and critically wounded when he allegedly lunged at Pasadena PD officer Kenneth Sloan Haynie with a knife after chasing his wife.
2/25/99 - Christopher Gene Holmes, 33, shot in shoulder by Harris County sheriff’s deputy Keith Matthew Lyons after brief chase because “he appeared to be reaching for a weapon.”
See also: (Shackett media reports)
8/24/99 – Shackett kills Colleen Kelly.
2/11/99 - Yuma Lazard, 19, shot in buttock by Houston police officer Pamela M. Slater, w/f. Police say Lazard shot at Slater during a foot chase after he burglarized some cars.See also: 3/8/97 - Joe Henry Hardy is critically wounded by Slater.
2/3/99 - Preston Gerard Burnett, 20, shot in stomach, hand and shoulder and critically wounded by Houston narcotics officer Sammie L. Acker, b/m, 53, when he allegedly pointed a gun at another officer during drug buy. Other officers present were T.N. Castille, b/m, and K.E. Echols, w/m.
2/85 - Acker was accused by another officer of “impropriety” during an arrest.
9/94 - Acker was fired after shooting his wife in the arm. Acker appealed his firing and was later reinstated by the Civil Service Commission.
1/27/99 - Robert N. Guthrie, 55, unarmed, shot in the leg by HPD officer B. L. Hall, responding to a “loud noise” call. Hall said Guthrie “seemingly reach(ed) for something” during a struggle.
w/f, 40, mentally ill, shot once in the shoulder and killed by Houston police officer Jaime E. Lopez after calling for ambulance to take her to hospital. Police claim she lunged at them with a butcher knife. Sheryl was barely 5 ft. tall. Lopez was no-billed. (media reports)
1/12/99 - Jose Ricardo Cobos, 20, and Isaias Gallegos, 19, shot and wounded by Harris County Sheriff's Narcotics Task Force officers James Eric Romine, Oswaldo Jose Fond and Richard Laroy Goffner during drug bust. Police claim one of the two “pulled out a gun.”
1/9/99 - Harold Eugene Evans Jr., 25, unarmed, shot and wounded by Harris County sheriff’s deputies Carl Mueller and S.D. Campbell when he struck Mueller with his car.
See also: 7/21/02 - Villareal kills Salome Pineda Garvajal.
1998 - Officer-involved Shootings
w/m, 24, unarmed, killed when shot at 59 times by 7 HPD officers - Sgt. Antonio R. Guzman, 40; Ruston K. Alsbrooks, 38 (see photo below); Scott W. Wilkins, 34; Marvin J. Manuel, 26; Tien "Tony" N. Nguyen, 29; Leopoldo Rubio-Ronso, 27; and Tony Tomeo, 34 - after a low-speed car chase. The officers surrounded his pick-up truck, beat out the windows and beat him with their night sticks while still inside his vehicle. When Guzman tripped, his gun fired and all seven officers then opened fire; of the 59 bullets fired, 14 hit and killed Derek (while he was still in the cab of his truck) 3 in the back. The officers said they saw an alleged "shiney object" in the victims right hand, so they shot him. Unknown to the officers at the time they "got their story straight," Derek was left-handed. One eye witness said, "as Derek lay on the ground awaiting life-flight, one officer walked over, kicked him and spit on the ground."
HPD never notified his mother that they killed her son. All the officers were no-billed. Other officers involved: Miguel A. Yanez, Tolan W. Harding and dispatcher, Mayea L. Maldonado. (media reports)
Also, see: 04/15/10 - Tomeo shoots Ayinde Ekundayo Jordan; and
05/19/97 - Harding kills Edward James Hayes.
10/20/98 - Three unidentified men are shot at by HPD officers when they back their truck in the officers’ direction. The three had robbed a hardware store.
10/14//98 - Gerardo Carrillo, unarmed, assaulted by HPD officers J. A. Santos, David Zaharas, and additional unknown officers, as he waits for a bus. Officers immediately point their guns at him, then he is beaten, charged with public intoxication. Charges were dismissed, and he was released after two days in jail.
8/31/98 - John Huffman, 30, after taking drug overdose in suicide attempt, shot in the wrist by deputy constable when he allegedly grabbed a knife and "lunged" at EMS worker.
8/20/98 - Simon Damount Smith, 23, shot in hand and torso by HPD SWAT officer M. A. Lavespere. Police claim he pointed a pistol at them while they were executing a warrant. Smith was charged with attempted capital murder.
8/7/98 - Richard Pedraza, 38, a Houston PD SWAT officer, shot in the arm by HPD SWAT officer Anthony R. Pisaro, 33, at an FBI shooting range. (media reports)
See also: (Pisaro media reports)
08/01/06 - Pisaro wounds Steven Ferrel.
08/01/01 - Pisaro kills Haywood Ogburn;
03/12/01 - Pisaro shoots and wounds John Jones, Jr;
01/01/93 - Pisaro kills Amos Perry; and
12/20/91 - Pisaro critically injures Rosalind Bell.
7/29/98 - Jeffrey Thompson, 31, threatening suicide, shot in stomach by HPD officer C.R. Freeman when he approached officers with knives. He was later charged with aggravated assault.
h/m, 22, asleep in his brother's apartment, shot twelve (12) times in the back and killed after six Houston police officers, without search warrant, burst into the apartment on advice of informant. Despite officials' original claim, Oregon was unarmed and attempting to flee the assault when he was shot and killed. The officers - Lamont E. Tillery, 30; David R. Barrera, 28; David R. Perkins, 30; Pete A. Herrada, 28; James R. Willis, 28; and Sgt. Darrell H. Strouse, 34 - were fired; all were ultimately cleared of wrongdoing.
Officer James Willis charged with trespass. Acquitted. (media reports)
7/4/98 - Jose Luis Roman, 28, shot in hip by Houston PD officer Bobby S. Smith, 49, after auto collision. Smith claims Roman tried to take his pistol. Roman is charged with aggravated assault.
6/2/98 - Elsa Jimenez, 37, threatening suicide with a gun, is shot in stomach and critically wounded by HPD officer Robert E. Belknap Jr. after allegedly pointing her pistol at him.
5/18/98 - Tremayne Williams, 16, unarmed, shot in the chest, back and legs with shotgun blast by Houston police officer Ned Cherry III, 34. Williams says he had returned a gun to a relative and was walking home when Cherry shot him in the back. Cherry claims Williams pointed a gun at him. No gun was found. Cherry resigned in August 1998, and was no-billed by a grand jury.
4/28/98 - Clarence Wilbert Bilbrew, 25, shot in the back by HPD officer Lawrence R. Smith, 45, after he tried to rob a store. Bilbrew was armed with a gun and wearing a bullet-resistant vest.
See also: 11/12/99 - Smith kills Jaime Dominguez.
3/27/98 - Javier Beltran, wounded when shot in the chest by Harris County sheriff's deputy Edward Lopez, who had responded with other deputies to a domestic disturbance call. When Beltran opened the door of his apartment to deputies, Lopez claims he held an object that he mistook for a gun, so he shot him.
2/22/98 - Gabriel Tremayne Goffrey, 17 and mentally ill, called 911 for help. Harris County sheriff's deputies T.E. Kizer, Gary G. Parker, Dennis L. Barker, John L. Morrison, T.J. Carr and David W. Hennessy responded. Said to be acting in an irrational manner, the officers claim they "negotiated" with him about 30 minutes, then shot and critically wounded him in the stomach, leg and arm when he allegedly charged at them with two knives.
2 ½ years later, when it becomes known Goffrey plans to file suit, he is charged with aggravated assault for the 1998 incident. Suit is filed on 9/6/00, saying the Sheriff’s Department failed to properly train its deputies in the use of violence against a mentally ill person.
2/5/98 - John Emerson Thomas, 49, unarmed and unresisting, beaten and pistol-whipped during arrest by four HPD officers, not in uniform, dressed in black. Thomas was an innocent victim of a sting operation.
2/4/98 - Robert Demond Lavern, 21, wounded when shot in the leg by Houston PD narcotics officer Ralph Chaison, 44 (18-yr. vet). Chaison's partner, Vonda Higgins, 36 (9-yr. vet), was critically injured when shot in the neck by Lavern.
1/14/98 - Unidentified man wounded when shot in the arm by unidentified Houston PD undercover narcotics officer during drug bust.
1/12/98 - Unidentified man critically wounded when shot by Houston PD officer Carl M. Rodriguez, 31, a 6-year veteran and field training officer. Rodriguez had stopped to investigate two parked vehicles and one fled; he gave chase to the pickup and claimed he was shot at several times during the chase. When the pickup crashed, Rodriguez placed the driver in custody, but shot the passenger because he "refused to obey" his orders.
1998 - Paul Uwandu shot by Houston PD officer Jimmy H. Higgins when involved with several other police cars in a high-speed chase. Higgins fired six shots at Uwandu, hitting him in the arms and leg.
Also see: 2/1/00 - Higgins shoots Jeffery Lynn Pruitt.
1997 - Officer-involved Shootings
h/m, 35, shot once in the chest and killed by HPD officer A. Munoz. Rodriguez was cutting ribs at a family barbeque when Munoz responded to a disturbance call. Munoz claims Rodriguez "lunged at (him) with the knife."
Also, see: 10/25/98 - Harding and other officers kill Derek Kaeseman.
w/m, 22, unarmed, shot once in the abdomen and killed by Hedwig Village police officer Scott Ashmore, after being stopped on suspicion of intoxication. Arledge ran and hid in a backyard tool shed; Ashmore shot when he "saw the glint of something shiny at Arledge's waist." No gun or weapon was reported found. Ashmore was no-billed.
3/16/97 - Off-duty HPD officer K. J. Caston fires 3 shots at 2 people in a pickup truck. Caston was suspicious of their presence outside a trailer home he owned.
3/8/97 - Joe Henry Hardy, 26, shot in upper torso and critically injured by Houston PD officer Pamela Slater, responding to a disturbance call. Slater said she fired when Hardy pulled a pistol from his back pocket.
3/1/97 - Patrick Scott, 22, critically wounded when shot in the head and leg by off-duty Houston PD officer David M. Boling, working security at a club. Boling and other officers were clearing the parking lot after the club closed, when he allegedly saw Scott yelling and waving a pistol. Boling claims Scott refused to drop the gun, walked away from him, then turned back toward him, and Boling shot him. (media reports)
See also: (Boling media reports)
04/17/07 - Boling Tasers father holding newborn;
12/15/98 - Boling hits and kills 82-yr. old Herbert Williams with his patrol car;
03/08/95 - Boling shoots 25-yr. old man; and
08/07/94 - Boling kills Morse Wayne Holland;
2/8/97 - Raymond Fredrick Gross, 41, unarmed, shot in forearm by HPD officer Patrick Jost Jr., 28, after car chase. Gross and a companion were wanted for theft.
1/26/97 - Van Keith McKenzie, 19, wounded when shot in the leg and arm by Houston PD undercover narcotics officer R.G. Chaison, who claimed McKenzie tried to rob him of $20 during a drug buy.
1/23/97 - Felix Garcia, h/m, 30, seriously wounded when shot in the chest by Houston PD officer Primitivo Lopez, who claimed Garcia was intoxicated and pointed a gun at him.
1/11/97 - Gene Allen Blackwell, wounded when shot in the stomach by Harris County sheriff’s deputies Zachary Long and Troy Perry.
See also:
2/1/04 -Zachary Long kills Rodolfo Garcia Gonzalez.
1996 - Officer-involved Shootings
11/18/96 - Tammy Galloway, 23, unarmed, shot in the wrist and hand after the car in which she was a passenger was chased by two sheriff’s deputies and two HPD officers. (Her husband, the driver, was wanted for parole violation.) The two deputies and one officer fired into the car when she began to lower one hand to release her seat belt. She was then dragged out of the car by her hair, and an officer purposely ground her injured hand with his boot. She was not charged with any crime.
22, shot in the chest by HPD officer C.L. Thomas, who claimed Cook came at him with upraised arms and they began struggling for Thomas' gun. Thomas was searching an abandoned house.
6/4/96 - William C. Horhn, 38 and mentally ill, critically injured when shot in the abdomen by Houston PD officer Stephen M. Kwiatkowski, a 15-yr. veteran, when several police officers raided a motel room looking for drug suspects. Police claim Horhn pointed a pistol at the officers, and Kwiatkowski shot him in the abdomen. A small amount of cocaine and marijuana were found.
See also: 1/9/96 - Kwiatkowski shoots Sammy Ray Moy in another drug raid.
See also: (Moreira media reports)
09/02/03 - Moreira shoots George Corona;
07/21/03 - Moreira shoots Sarah Fay Mize; and
02/21/96 - Moreira was accused of beating Jabar Watson during a traffic stop.
1/9/96 - Sammy Ray Moy, wounded when shot in the hand by Houston PD officer Stephen M. Kwiatkowski when officers made a drug raid in Moy's motel room.
See also: 6/4/96 - Kwiatkowski shoots William C. Horhn in another motel drug raid.
1995 - Officer-involved Shootings
w/m, 29, mentally ill, shot once in the abdomen and killed by HPD SWAT officer Steven C. Riegle. Morgan's parents had called 911 for help to get him to hospital. Instead, police forced them to leave their residence, refusing to let them or friends talk to Morgan. Police surrounded their home as Morgan moved in and out holding an ax. After three hours, Morgan runs down the driveway with the ax, and was shot. Riegle was no-billed.
w/m, 17, unarmed, shot twice in the back at close range and killed by Bellaire police officer Michael Leal, 30, while pinned face down to the floor by officer Carle Upshaw's foot on his back. Allen, high on drugs, had smashed through the patio door of a Bellaire home, whose owner called police. Police say Allen disobeyed them, had reached for something in his pocket and was attempting to roll over, causing Leal to "fear for his own life." But marks on Allen's hands indicate he had been handcuffed. Both officers were no-billed.
6/21/95 - Oscar Alexander Arias, 23, wounded when shot in the shoulder by Houston PD officer James J. Kravetz, 36 (Southeast Narcotics Div.) As Kravetz was buying drugs from Arias a marked patrol car approached. Kravetz claims he thought Arias had a weapon as he reached toward his waistband, so he drew his gun. He says Arias grabbed his (Kravetz') gun, a struggle ensued, and the gun discharged, striking Arias.
4/28/95 - Unidentified 18-year-old man seriously wounded when shot in the neck by unidentified Harris County sheriff's deputy. Officers were arresting him for allegedly assaulting a deputy earlier in the week, when they claim he grabbed the officer's gun. A struggle ensued, and the gun discharged.
4/26/95 - Roland Torres Jr., 19, threatening suicide, wounded when shot in the neck, arm and torso by unidentified SWAT officers. Officers went to Torres' home and found him with a pistol. Officers claim he rushed toward them, waving the gun, so they shot him.
4/24/95 - Sergio Garcia DeLeon, 33, wounded when shot in the shoulder by unidentified Harris County sheriff's deputy working off duty as a security guard. Two deputies were arresting DeLeon for shoplifting when one of the deputies dropped his baton. They claim DeLeon picked it up and hit a deputy, who then ordered DeLeon to drop the baton. Claiming he did not obey, the deputy pulled his gun and shot DeLeon in the chest. But the baton deflected the bullet and it went in his shoulder.
4/2/95 - Jose Salaz, h/m, 19, wounded when shot in the leg and neck by unidentified Houston PD officer. Salaz and a companion had kidnapped a bartender for $5,000 ransom. When the ransom was paid, officers moved to arrest the two. Gunshots were exchanged, and Salaz and two officers were shot. None was seriously injured.
4/1/95 - Unidentified man wounded when shot in the abdomen by unidentified Houston PD officer, who was responding to a burglary. The officer confronted the man, telling him to get on the ground. The man allegedly refused and a struggle ensued. The officer claims his gun discharged during the struggle, hitting the suspected burglar.
3/8/95 - Unidentified 25-year-old man shot in the buttocks by HPD officer David M. Boling working off-duty at a club. Boling claims he saw a muzzle flash from a pistol the man allegedly was holding. (media reports)
See also: (Boling media reports)
04/17/07 - Boling tasers father holding newborn.
12/15/98 - Boling hits and kills 82-yr. old Herbert Williams with his patrol car;
03/01/97 - Boling shoots Patrick Scott; and
08/07/94 - Boling kills Morse Wayne Holland.
1994 - Officer-involved Shootings
See also: (Boling media reports)
04/17/07 - Boling tasers father holding newborn;
12/15/98 - Boling hits and kills 82-yr old Herbert Williams with his patrol car;
03/01/97 - Boling shoots Patrick Scott;
03/08/95 - Boling shoots 25-yr. old man;
37, b/m, dies of asphyxiation, two days after being hogtied and beaten by Houston police officers Joseph Romporti, John Leach, Melba Hogan and John Theis, and Harris County sheriff’s deputies Jeff Robinson, William Wilkinson, and Collier Bridges (now a Houston police officer) after shopping at Dillard’s Dept. Store; the deputies were working off-duty as security guards. Police and Dillard’s claim Robinson demanded $1 million from a clerk and resisted the guards’ attempts to restrain him while in a psychotic state. His family and a store clerk said Robinson only became loud when a store clerk refused to let him withdraw $500 on his ATM card. The clerk testified she saw deputy Robinson beat him after he was handcuffed and hogtied; another saw brown foam coming from his mouth as Bridges had his boot on Robinson’s neck and deputy Robinson taped his legs. A grand jury no-billed all the officers, but in a later civil trial a jury found Robinson’s death was caused by the negligence of the deputies and a store manager and awarded his family $800,000 damages plus interest. Deputy Robinson said, "I don’t think I did anything wrong…I think I did a good job." (media reports)
Also see: (Wilkerson media reports)
4/25/94 - Michael Lee Metheny, 40, mentally ill and threatening suicide, wounded when shot in the right forearm by Houston PD officer who said Metheny aimed a gun at police officers.
1993 - Officer-involved Shootings
See also: 12/11/92 - Gigout kills Johnny James.
2/7/93 - Unidentified 15-yr. old boy, wounded when shot in the shoulder by Houston PD officer Kevin Gallier (a rookie on the force less than a year). Police had stopped several juveniles in a stolen van. Gallier claims the boy "appeared to reach for something under his seat," so he shot him.
See also: (Pisaro media reports)
08/01/06 - Pisaro wounds Steven Ferrel;
08/01/01 - Pisaro kills Haywood Louis Ogburn;
03/12/01 - Pisaro shoots and wounds John Jones, Jr.;
08/07/98 - Pisaro shoots fellow officer; and
12/20/91 - Pisaro shoots Rosalind Joyce Bell, paralyzing her.
1992 - Officer-involved Shootings
The last law officer to face a murder indictment stemming from an on-duty shooting was former Harris County sheriff's Deputy Joseph Kent McGowen. He was accused of killing Susan White in her northwest Harris County home on 08/25/92. An initial conviction was overturned, but McGowen was convicted again and sentenced to 20 years in prison.• 04/03/02 - "Rogue cop" gets 20 years in killing / Ex-deputy found guilty second time.
• 03/20/02 - Ex-deputy retried in 1992 shooting of woman; and
• 03/12/02 - Ex -deputy Joseph Kent McGowen faces second murder trial;
Joseph Kent McGowen
1992 - Prendergast shoots unidentified person during traffic stop.
Also see: (Prendergast media reports)
4/19/00 - Prendergast shoots and kills Lanny Blaine Robinson;
07/15/99 - Prendergast shoots Deandre Lamon Carter;
1989 - District attorney's records show a shooting leading to the injury of a civilian that involved Prendergast;
09/19/84 - Prendergast shoots Steven W. Lewis;
1983 - Riding his bicycle after midnight, Prendergast shoots a motorist who offers to sell him pot; and
07/10/82 - Still on rookie probation, Prendergast kills Donald Wayne Williams.1991 - Officer-involved Shootings
12/20/91 - Rosalind Joyce Bell, 24, known by police to be mentally ill, shot in the side and spine and left paralyzed from the waist down by Houston police officer Jason E. Draycott. Draycott and his partner, Anthony R. Pisaro, 26, are accused by witnesses of precipitating an attack on Pisaro by Bell because of their unreasoning actions, saying one cursed at her, called her a bitch, kicked her in the stomach and hit her in the arm with a club. Bell locked herself in her house, and Draycott shot through the door; he was no-billed by a grand jury. Bell was charged with aggravated assault. Her suit against the city of Houston was settled three years later for $100,000. (media reports)
See also: (Pisaro media reports)
08/01/06 - Pisaro wounds Steven Ferrel.
08/01/01 - Pisaro kills Haywood Louis Ogburn, 32;
03/12/01 - Pisaro wounds John Jones Jr., 40;
08/07/98 – Pisaro shoots fellow officer Richard Pedraza; and
01/01/93 – Pisaro shoots and kills Amos Perry, age 15.
1990 - 1989 - Officer-involved Shootings
HPD officer Scott Tschirhart, was no-billed by two grand juries; fired from department. (media reports)
See also: (Tschirhart media reports)
07/12/85 - Tschirhart kills Bennie Lee Young, and
11/02/83 - Tschirhart kills Phillip W. Franklin.
Scott Tschirhart
50, shot four (4) times and killed while driving to work at 5:30 a.m. She was chased and harassed for 13 miles by drunk off-duty Houston police officers Alex Gonzales, 25, Robert C. Gonzales Jr., 28, and Alexander Romero, 25. When Delaney stops her car behind a road repair crew to get help, Alex Gonzales gets a gun from the trunk of his car. As the three officers approach Delaney, she shoots Alex Gonzales, who then kills her with four (4)shots. All officers are fired; two are no-billed. Alex Gonzales is charged with murder, convicted of manslaughter and given two years probation. Although Judge Ted Poe orders an additional six-month jail term, Gonzales ultimately serves only eleven days in jail.
Officer Alex Gonzales convicted of voluntary manslaughter; sentenced to two years of probation. (media reports)
1989 - District attorney's records show a shooting leading to the injury of a civilian that involved Prendergast.
Also see: (Prendergast media reports)
4/19/00 - Prendergast shoots and kills Lanny Blaine Robinson;
07/15/99 - Prendergast shoots Deandre Lamon Carter;
1992 - Prendergast shoots unidentified person during traffic stop.
09/19/84 - Prendergast shoots Steven W. Lewis;1983 - Riding his bicycle after midnight, Prendergast shoots a motorist who offers to sell him pot; and
07/10/82 - Still on rookie probation, Prendergast kills Donald Wayne Williams.1987 - 1988 - Officer-involved Shootings
1986 - Officer-involved Shootings
See also: (Cargill media reports)
09/07/04 - Cargill and his partner, Dale S. Crawford, kill Johnny Michael Jenkins Jr;
04/19/00 - Cargill and his partner, Mark R. Prendergast, kill Lanny Blaine Robinson; and
03/15/85 - Cargill and Foxworth kill Sylvester Nava.
1985 - Officer-involved Shootings
See also: (Tschirhart media reports)
11/15/89 - Tschirhart kills Byron Gillum; and
11/02/83 - Tschirhart kills Phillip W. Franklin.
See also: (Cargill media reports)
9/7/04 - Cargill and his partner, Dale S. Crawford, kill Johnny Michael Jenkins Jr;
4/19/00 - Cargill and his partner, Mark R. Prendergast, kill Lanny Blaine Robinson; and
10/16/86 – Foxworth and Cargill kill Alice Rhodes.
See also: (Tschirhart media reports)
11/15/89 - Tschirhart kills Byron Gillum, and
11/02/83 - Tschirhart killed Phillip W. Franklin.
1984 - Officer-involved Shootings
09/19/84 - Prendergast shoots Steven W. Lewis.
Also see: (Prendergast media reports)
4/19/00 - Prendergast shoots and kills Lanny Blaine Robinson;
07/15/99 - Prendergast shoots Deandre Lamon Carter;
1992 - Prendergast shoots unidentified person during traffic stop.1989 - District attorney's records show a shooting leading to the injury of a civilian that involved Prendergast;
1983 - Riding his bicycle after midnight, Prendergast shoots a motorist who offers to sell him pot; and
07/10/82 - Still on rookie probation, Prendergast kills Donald Wayne Williams.1983 - Officer-involved Shootings
See also: (Tschirhart media reports)
11/15/89 - Tschirhart kills Byron Gillum; and
07/12/85 – Tschirhart kills Bennie Lee Young.
1983 - Riding his bicycle after midnight, Prendergast shoots a motorist who offers to sell him pot.
Also see: (Prendergast media reports)
4/19/00 - Prendergast shoots and kills Lanny Blaine Robinson;
07/15/99 - Prendergast shoots Deandre Lamon Carter;
1992 - Prendergast shoots unidentified person during traffic stop.1989 - District attorney's records show a shooting leading to the injury of a civilian that involved Prendergast;
09/19/84 - Prendergast shoots Steven W. Lewis;
07/10/82 - Still on rookie probation, Prendergast kills Donald Wayne Williams.1982 - Officer-involved Shootings
07/10/82 - Still on rookie probation, Prendergast kills Donald Wayne Williams, 23, who he claims tried to rob him and another off-duty rookie officer as they left the parking lot of a restaurant.
Also see: (Prendergast media reports)
4/19/00 - Prendergast shoots and kills Lanny Blaine Robinson;
07/15/99 - Prendergast shoots Deandre Lamon Carter;
1992 - Prendergast shoots unidentified person during traffic stop.1989 - District attorney's records show a shooting leading to the injury of a civilian that involved Prendergast;
09/19/84 - Prendergast shoots Steven W. Lewis;
1983 - Riding his bicycle after midnight, Prendergast shoots a motorist who offers to sell him pot.
