November 22, 2011 - Charges have been filed against a suspect wounded by Houston police officers after he fired several shots in a park at 500 Rusk Street about 5:10 p.m. on Monday (Nov. 21).

The suspect, Joshua Anthony Twohig (w/m, DOB: 12-24-89), is charged with aggravated assault against a public servant in the 339th State District Court.  Twohig suffered several gunshot wounds and was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital where he remains in stable condition with non life-threatening injuries.  A photo of Twohig is not available for release at this time.

Two HPD officers who discharged their duty weapons, A. Cantos and H. Lam, were not injured.  Both are assigned to the Special Operations Division.  Officer Cantos was sworn in as an officer in March 2009 and Lam in November 2010.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant R. Torres and Senior Police Officer S. Anderson reported:

Bicycle Officers Lam and Cantos were on patrol when they were flagged down by citizens regarding a male discharging a firearm in Tranquility Park at the above location.  As the officers entered the park, they heard gunshots and saw a male armed with a rifle and standing on a bridge near the park's fountains and pond.  Officers moved closer to the suspect and took cover behind a four-foot high concrete wall.  They began giving the suspect verbal commands to drop the weapon.  Rather than doing so, the suspect fired the rifle into the pond and then raised the rifle and pointed it at his head as if intending to commit suicide.  The suspect began screaming to officers "shoot me, shoot me."

About that time, a witness began video recording the incident.  The video shows the suspect dressed in a black suit and standing on the bridge over the pond, holding a gun to his head.  Both officers are seen taking cover and shouting commands to the suspect, who made hostile advances toward the officers before they discharged their weapons.  When struck the first time, the suspect went down to the ground.  He then stood up again and reached to pick up his rifle before he was wounded again.  Moments later, three U.S. Deputy Marshals arrived and assisted in taking the suspect into custody.

As is customary in an incident in which an HPD officer discharges a weapon causing injury, the case is being investigated by the HPD Homicide and Internal Affairs Division as well as the Harris County District Attorney's Office.



JFC/VHS    11-22-11
Inc #151095111