November 27, 2018 - Houston police are investigating an incident in which an HPD officer discharged his duty weapon at an armed shooting suspect at 12315 Bellaire Boulevard about 12:45 a.m. today (November 27).

The male suspect was pronounced dead at the scene with an apparent gunshot wound.  His identity and manner of death are pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Officer J. Duncan, who discharged his duty weapon, was not injured in this incident.  He was sworn in as an HPD officer in December 2106 and is assigned to the Westside Patrol Division.

HPD Special Investigations Unit Sergeant M. Ynosencio and Detectives E. Contreras, R. Gonzalez, M. Glover and M. Hobson reported:

HPD patrol officers responded to a shooting call at the above address.  Upon arrival, they found a patron and the front door of a business had been struck by gunfire.  The patron was treated at the scene by Houston Fire Department paramedics for a non-life-threatening wound.

Officers determined the suspect was hiding in an adjacent business.  During a subsequent search of that second business, the suspect was located in the ceiling of a utility closet.  After being found, the suspect fired his weapon and Officer Duncan, fearing for his safety, returned fire.

HPD's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Hostage Negotiations Teams (HNT) were called to the scene and later found the suspect unresponsive.  He was pronounced deceased by HFD paramedics.  A firearm was found next to his body. 

As is customary in officer-involved shooting incidents in the city limits, this incident is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit and Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.