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Houston Police Department
Suspect Charged in Incident at 8221 Gulf Freeway
August 10, 2010 - Charges have been filed against a suspect who pointed a weapon at a Houston police officer at 8221 Gulf Freeway about 9:55 a.m. on Monday (Aug. 9).
The suspect, Martin Garcia Vargas (H/m, DOB: 3-10-70), is charged with terroristic threat in Harris County Criminal Court #15.
Officer Ricardo Cruz, assigned to the Eastside Patrol Division, discharged his weapon at the suspect. The suspect was not struck. Officer Cruz was sworn in as an officer in April 2002.
HPD Homicide Division Sergeant J.C. Padilla and Officer T.A. Andrade reported:
Officers were dispatched to a suspicious person with a weapon call and were told on their arrival that a male (suspect) was waving a gun at customers in the strip shopping center. An officer in an HPD helicopter directed patrol officers to a nearby golf course where they located the suspect and ordered him to drop his weapon. When the suspect refused and pointed the weapon at the officers, Officer Cruz discharged his weapon. No one was injured and the suspect was taken into custody without further incident.
It was determined the suspect's weapon was a toy gun.
As is customary when an HPD officer discharges a weapon in the city limits, the incident is being investigated by the HPD Homicide and Internal Affairs Divisions.
JFC/JKS 8-10-10
Inc #113815510
For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.
