May 3, 2013 - Houston police are investigating the fatal shooting of an armed suspect at IAH Terminal B about 1:30 p.m. on Thursday (May 2).

The suspect, Carnell Marcus Moore (b/m, DOB: 5-19-83), suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head and a gunshot wound to the his right chest.  Moore was pronounced dead at the scene.  His cause of death is pending autopsy results from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.  A photo of Moore is attached to this news release.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant B. Harris and Senior Police Officer M. Waters reported:

About noon, Moore drove to the passenger arrival area of Bush Intercontinental Airport's where he parked his pickup truck and went upstairs to the passenger departure area, carrying a suitcase.  About 1:30 p.m., witnesses reported he cleared the immediate area of civilians and then produced a pistol and fired twice into the ceiling.  A nearby Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent on-duty ordered Moore to drop his weapon.  When Moore refused, and instead raised his weapon, the special agent on-duty, fearing for the safety of the citizens in the terminal, discharged his duty weapon one-time, striking Moore in the right shoulder.  Almost simultaneously, Moore shot himself in the head.  The firearm used by Moore was recovered as well as an unfired AR-15 rifle.  The rifle, along with a suicide note, cartridges, and a Gideon Bible were found in Moore's suitcase.  

No one other than Moore was injured in this incident and at no time was a secured area of the airport breached.

Further investigation revealed Moore was distraught over a love interest in his home town of Beaumont, Texas.  After confronting her earlier in the week, he left Beaumont on Tuesday (April 30) and checked into a Houston hotel, where he stayed until Thursday's incident.
As investigators released at a news briefing this morning (May 3), the suicide note read:

"Here in the last hour, I yield to mercy when this could have turned out bad.  Jehova found a path to my heart, that love would conquer anger.  The monster within me was getting stronger and while I could not save myself I could spare others.  (name redacted) I love you so much.  Peace is within sight.  I ask that authorities handle my disposal." 

Video of today's media briefing may be found at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uEG7YbGtUE&feature=youtu.be

The Houston Police Department was assisted in this investigations by numerous agencies, including the FBI Houston and FBI Beaumont, The Office of Homeland Security, the Beaumont Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.