April 10, 2024 - Houston police are investigating the fatal shooting of an armed suspect by a Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy at 9700 Bertwood Street about 2 p.m. on Tuesday (April 9).

The identity of the male suspect is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

The Harris County Sheriff's deputy who discharged his duty weapon was not injured.

HPD Special Investigations Unit Sergeant E. Wohlgemuth and Detectives D. Escobar, C. Walker and N. Barnes reported:

While outside the Houston city limits, Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies located a vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle involved in a road rage incident that had just occurred, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The vehicle did not stop and the driver evaded deputies. The deputies pursued the suspect vehicle into the northeast area of Houston, where the suspect vehicle crashed in the 5800 block of Polly Street. At that time, five male suspects exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Deputies were able to arrest two suspects at the scene, while the other three suspects continued to flee on foot.

Additional Harris County deputies responded to the scene and searched for the suspects. Deputies saw a male, matching the description of one of the suspects, walking between two houses in the 9700 block of Bertwood Street. The deputy exited his patrol vehicle and saw the suspect grab at the waistband area of his pants. The deputy gave the suspect verbal commands to stop, but the suspect produced a firearm. At that time, the deputy discharged his duty weapon at the suspect, who fell to the ground and fired at the deputy, striking his patrol vehicle multiple times. A second deputy arrived on scene and, seeing the suspect on the ground pointing his gun at the first deputy, discharged his duty weapon at the suspect, who then dropped his weapon.

Additional deputies arrived on scene and provided medical assistance to the suspect until Houston Fire Department paramedics arrived. The suspect was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

One of the other suspects was located by a police K-9 unit and was arrested without incident. A fifth suspect remains at large.

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