POLICE Department
Investigation into Incident at 800 Gazin Street
April 22, 2020 - Houston police are investigating an incident in which an armed suspect was fatally shot by HPD officers in the 800 block of Gazin Street about 9 p.m. on Tuesday (April 21).
The identity of the male suspect is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The officers who discharged their duty weapons were not injured in the incident.
HPD Special Investigations Unit Sergeant J. Hekimian and Detectives D. Hobson, R. Gonzalez, E Contreras and M. Glover reported:
Northeast Patrol Division officers responded to a suicide in progress call near Lockwood Drive and the East Freeway (East Interstate Highway 10). Officers then learned the suspect was in the 800 block of Gazin Street. Officers arrived at that address and saw the suspect in a parking lot next to a light pole.
As the officers engaged the suspect, he charged at them with a pointed object in his hand. Three HPD officers discharged their Conducted Energy Devices (CED) at the suspect, which had no effect. Officers then deployed several bean bag rounds at the suspect, which also had no effect. The suspect continued to charge at the officers with the pointed weapon in his hand. Fearing for his life, one officer discharged his duty weapon and struck the suspect, who fell to the ground. The suspect then crawled to a CED that had been dropped by an officer, picked it up, and pointed it at the officers. Fearing for their lives, officers discharged their duty weapons and struck the suspect. Houston Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced him deceased.
As is customary in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents in the Houston city limits, this case is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit, the Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
The identity of the male suspect is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The officers who discharged their duty weapons were not injured in the incident.
HPD Special Investigations Unit Sergeant J. Hekimian and Detectives D. Hobson, R. Gonzalez, E Contreras and M. Glover reported:
Northeast Patrol Division officers responded to a suicide in progress call near Lockwood Drive and the East Freeway (East Interstate Highway 10). Officers then learned the suspect was in the 800 block of Gazin Street. Officers arrived at that address and saw the suspect in a parking lot next to a light pole.
As the officers engaged the suspect, he charged at them with a pointed object in his hand. Three HPD officers discharged their Conducted Energy Devices (CED) at the suspect, which had no effect. Officers then deployed several bean bag rounds at the suspect, which also had no effect. The suspect continued to charge at the officers with the pointed weapon in his hand. Fearing for his life, one officer discharged his duty weapon and struck the suspect, who fell to the ground. The suspect then crawled to a CED that had been dropped by an officer, picked it up, and pointed it at the officers. Fearing for their lives, officers discharged their duty weapons and struck the suspect. Houston Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced him deceased.
As is customary in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents in the Houston city limits, this case is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit, the Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
VHS/KJS 4-22-20
Inc. #052537920
