January 21, 2014 - Charges have been filed against a robbery suspect arrested following an incident in which he and a Houston police officer discharged weapons at 7302 Arnim about 11:15 a.m. on Sunday (Jan. 19).

The suspect, Deshawn Eugene Mayers (b/m, DOB: 3-28-90), is charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in the 338th State District Court.  A photo of Mayers (with a laceration likely sustained in a traffic accident) is attached to this news release.

The officer who discharged his duty weapon, A. Garza, is assigned to the Southeast Patrol Division and was sworn in as an officer in June 2012.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant K. Tolls and Senior Police Officer R. Cervantes reported:

A male victim, 37, was confronted at his apartment at 9220 Nathaniel by the suspect (Mayers) and an unknown accomplice.  The two suspects forced the victim into his apartment where they tied him up, demanded money and valuables and then forced him into a closet.  The suspects ransacked the victim's apartment.  When the suspects left the apartment, the victim exited the closet and followed the suspects outside where he observed them getting into his vehicle and leaving.  The victim flagged down a passing HPD officer, who was able to follow the suspects until he obtained back up.  A traffic stop was attempted on the vehicle, which then fled.  A short vehicle pursuit ended when the stolen vehicle the suspect was driving struck the back of a vehicle stopped at the traffic light at the South Loop service road and Woodridge.  The suspect exited the vehicle and fled on foot.  The backup unit, Officer Garza, pursued the suspect, who jumped the fence of a residence and ran into the back yard of 7302 Arnim.  When Officer Garza came to the corner of the house and looked into the back yard, he saw the suspect with a pistol in his hand and observed the suspect discharge the pistol in his direction.  Fearing for his safety, Officer Garza discharged his weapon in the direction of the suspect.  The suspect did not surrender and continued to jump a fence into a neighboring yard.  The officer could still see the suspect was holding a pistol and was pointing it in his direction.  Still perceiving the suspect as a threat, Officer Garza discharged his weapon at the suspect.  The suspect fled into a neighboring yard where he hid under a tarp.  A K-9 unit was brought to the scene and the suspect was located and taken into custody without further incident.  Neither the officer, the robbery victim, nor the suspect was injured.  The suspect obtained a minor injury from a dog bite, as well as a minor scalp laceration possibly sustained in the auto collision.  

The second suspect was not captured and is wanted.  He was described only as a black male, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, wearing a dark hoodie with his face covered.  Anyone with information on the second suspect's identity is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers 713-222-TIPS.