Armed Suspect Wounded, Charged in Incident at 1415 West Gulf Bank

February 4, 2008 - Charges have been filed against a suspect wounded by a Houston police officer at 1415 West Gulf Bank about 1:45 p.m. on Monday (Feb. 2).

The suspect, Travis Ashton Chambers (b/m, DOB: 5-21-90), is charged with aggravated assault against a public servant in the 339th State District Court.  He remains in custody, in stable condition at Ben Taub General Hospital where he is being treated for shotgun pellet wounds.

Officer T.B. Cooper, who discharged his weapon, was not injured.  Officer Cooper, assigned to the Northeast Patrol Division, was sworn in as an officer in February 1997.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant J.T. Parker and Senior Police Officer S.R. Straughter reported:

Employees in the leasing office of the Copper Tree apartments began receiving calls from tenants about a black male in a yellow shirt walking around the complex carrying a shotgun.  Two uniformed HPD officers working at the complex began checking around for the suspect.  Several tenants directed the officers to an area the suspect was last seen.  The officers spotted the suspect in a court yard and ordered him to drop his rifle.  However, the suspect instead pointed the rifle at the officers.  At that time, Officer Cooper discharged his shotgun at the suspect, wounding the suspect with shotgun pellets and causing him to drop the rifle.

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

JFC/JC
Inc #016502609

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