June 26, 2018 - Houston police are investigating an incident in which an off-duty HPD officer fired shots at a robbery suspect at 3434 Tidwell about 12:50 p.m. last Friday (June 22).  

The suspect is described only as a white or Hispanic male, about 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 235 pounds.  It is unknown at this time if the suspect was wounded by the gunfire.  

HPD Officer E. Brown, who discharged his duty weapon, was not injured in the incident.  Officer Brown was sworn in as an officer in January 2009 and is assigned to the Southeast Patrol Division.  

HPD Special Investigations Unit Detectives M. Seay, R. Lujan, M. Glover and G. Potter reported:  

Officer Brown was exiting his vehicle to work an approved extra job at a bank at the above address and heard a female screaming.  Officer Brown walked toward the bank and saw a suspect wearing a mask and pulling a woman's purse from her hands.  Officer Brown gave the suspect verbal commands to stop, which he ignored and instead reached for a handgun tucked in his waistband.  The suspect then got into a silver SUV parked in the bank parking lot and reversed the vehicle to flee.  

The suspect stopped the vehicle and looked back toward Officer Brown.  Fearing the suspect was about to fire a shot toward him, Officer Brown discharged his duty weapon several times.  It is undetermined at this time if the suspect or his vehicle were struck.  The suspect fled the scene and Officer Brown attempted to pursue the vehicle on foot but was unable to catch up to it.  The suspect remains at large.  

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.  

As is customary in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents in the city limits, this case is being investigated by the HPD Homicide Division Special Investigations Unit and the Internal Affairs Division.