Houston police are investigating an incident in which an armed suspect was fatally shot by HPD officers at 2525 Winrock at about 1:30 a.m. today (Sept. 28).
The suspect, Willie Earl Simmons (b/m, 23), was pronounced dead at the scene.
Simmons is accused of kidnapping and shooting his girlfriend, Kendra Jones, 25.
HPD Sergeant J. Seymour and Officers J. Few and M. Harris, who discharged their duty weapons, were not injured in this incident. All three are assigned to the Midwest Patrol Division. Sergeant Seymour was sworn in as an officer in December 2003 and Officers Few and Harris were both sworn in as officers in January 2016.
HPD Special Investigations Unit Senior Police Officer R. Gonzalez and Officers E. Contreras, D. Hobson and M. Glover reported:
Officers were dispatched to the above address regarding a possible hostage situation. When officers arrived on the scene, they were advised the victim (Ms. Jones) was being held at gunpoint by her boyfriend (Suspect Simmons) in one of the apartments at the location.
Once officers located Simmons’ apartment, they heard screaming coming from inside and the victim pleading for help. Officers knocked on the front door and Simmons fired a gun from inside the apartment. Officers then took covered positions at the front and rear doors of his apartment and an officer forced entry through the front door. Once entry was made through the front door, Simmons fired multiple times at the officers. The officers again took cover and Simmons then shot the victim, who was still inside the apartment.
Simmons then ran out the back door of the apartment and encountered Sergeant Seymour and Officers Few and Harris. Officers gave Simmons verbal commands to drop his pistol, but Simmons did not comply. One of the officers then discharged his duty weapon at Simmons, who retreated into his apartment, dropping his pistol on the back patio of the apartment. Officers then made entry through the back door and encountered Simmons, who was now armed with a large knife and advancing towards them. As Simmons ran at the officers, they again discharged their duty weapons, striking Simmons.
Simmons was pronounced dead at the scene. Jones, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds, was transported by Houston Fire Department paramedics to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital where she is in stable condition at this time.
As is customary in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents inside the city limits, this case is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit, the HPD Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
JKS/JFC 9-8-18
Inc. #122990318