Suspects Charged in Incident at 5100 Westheimer

December 13, 2010 - Charges have been filed against two suspects, one of whom was wounded by Houston police officers during an incident at 5100 Westheimer about 2:30 a.m. on Sunday (Dec. 12).

One suspect, Thenhan Tran Huynh (A/m, DOB: 7-1-82), is charged with discharge of a firearm in Harris County Criminal Court #5. Huynh suffered at least one gunshot wound and was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries. The other suspect, Christopher S. Jones (w/m, DOB: 7-22-85), is charged with felony evading arrest in a motor vehicle in the 338th State District Court.

Two HPD officers who discharged weapons in the incident, M. Campbell and R. Gibson, were not injured. Officer Campbell is assigned to the Tactical Operations Command and was sworn in as an officer in August 1999. Officer Gibson, assigned to the Southeast Patrol Division, was sworn in as an officer in September 2007.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant A. Semmelrock and Senior Police Officer C.P. Abbey reported:

Two HPD officers were walking back to their vehicles after working an extra job when they heard a gunshot. Seconds later, the officers heard several more gunshots coming from the 5000-5100 block of Westheimer. The officers got into their vehicles in an attempt to gather more information as to whether someone had been shot. When the officers reached the intersection of Westheimer at the 610 West Loop, they saw a vehicle stopped at the red light and the passenger (Thenhan Huynh) holding a pistol out the window. Huynh then pulled the pistol back into the vehicle. The uniformed officers approached the vehicle and identified themselves as officers. When Huynh reached down as if to retrieve the pistol, the officers discharged their weapons. At that time, the driver (Christopher Jones) drove off at a high rate of speed eastbound on Westheimer.

A short time later, an HPD officer in a marked patrol car saw the suspects' vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed and stopped the vehicle in the 2700 block of Travis. Huynh was found shot in the passenger side of the vehicle and paramedics were called. Jones was taken into custody without further incident.

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

JFC/KJS 12-13-10
Inc #173208310