Officer-Involved Shooting Incident at 4605 West Tidwell

December 22, 2008 - Charges have been filed against a suspect wounded by a Houston police officer following a traffic stop at 4605 West Tidwell about 2:40 a.m. on Saturday (Dec. 20).

The suspect, Tavan Anderson (b/m, DOB: 2-16-84), was treated and released from an area hospital after suffering a gunshot wound.  He is charged with carrying a weapon, evading arrest and possession of marijuana.  All charges are filed in Harris County Criminal Court #8.

The officer who discharged his weapon, Officer Michael Houston, a six-year veteran assigned to the Crime Reduction Unit, was not injured.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant J. Parker and Officer B. Nabors reported:

Officers T. Parkerson and Michael Houston were in a marked patrol car and observed a Ford Fusion that was listed as a suspicious vehicle in a previous HPD theft report.  Officers stopped the vehicle regarding the suspicious hit and for traffic violations.  During the traffic stop, the driver, Marquise Gray (b/m, DOB: 3-5-76), was found to be in possession of cocaine.  During that arrest, a second suspect, Anderson, jumped from the rear passenger seat and fled on foot westbound on West Tidwell.  Then officers separated and Officer Houston pursued Anderson.  During the foot pursuit, suspect Anderson was observed reaching continuously to his waistband as if to pull or control a weapon.  Anderson ran across a bridge over White Oak Bayou and stopped on the west side of the bridge.  At that time, Anderson brought up an object from his waist and pointed it towards Officer Houston, who then discharged his duty weapon one time, striking Anderson.

Suspect Anderson was discovered to have had a cell phone in his hand and marijuana in a pants pocket.  A semiautomatic pistol was found at the scene where he had run.

Suspect Gray is charged with possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) in the 339th State District Court.  A third individual, a passenger in the vehicle, Natasha Richard (b/f, DOB: 9-24-70), was arrested on outstanding traffic warrants.

As is customary in officer-involved shooting incidents in the city limits, this incident is being investigated by the HPD Homicide and Internal Affairs Divisions and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

JFC/JC
Inc #186639008

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.