Houston police are investigating the shooting incident in which a suspect was fatally shot and an HPD officer was injured at 5201 Southwest Freeway (South Interstate U.S. Highway 59) about 10:10 a.m. on Saturday (November 11).
The identity of the deceased suspect, 19, is pending notification to family members by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The wounded officer, Officer J. Gibson, suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was transported to Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center in stable condition where he remains hospitalized. He did not discharge his duty weapon.
Five other officers who discharged their duty weapons were not injured. All officers are assigned to the Westside Patrol Division. Officers J. Gibson, D. Gengler and A. Martinez were all sworn in as officers in March 2019, J. Perez in January 2017, B. Stephens in May 2019 and S. Trujillo in March 2021.
HPD Special Investigations Unit Sergeant S. Dau, and Detectives M. Childs, H. Le, D. Hammons, J. Roberts and N. Barnes reported:
Westside Patrol Division officers identified a stolen vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. The suspect then fled from officers at a high rate of speed until he struck multiple vehicles, rendering the stolen vehicle inoperable in the main lanes of the freeway at the above address.
Officer Gibson gave verbal commands to the suspect, who was still inside the stolen vehicle, when the suspect began discharging a firearm at Officer Gibson. Officer Gibson was struck and a citizen and another officer pulled him to a position of cover. The rescuing officer provided medical aid.
As more HPD patrol vehicles arrived, the suspect exited the stolen vehicle and attempted to enter another vehicle. Other uniformed officers attempted to give the suspect verbal commands to drop his weapon, but the suspect did not comply. As the suspect exited the second vehicle, officers discharged their weapons at the suspect. The suspect then ran to another vehicle but appeared to be injured and fell to the ground. The suspect disregarded all verbal commands from the officers and reloaded another magazine into his firearm. Officers discharged their weapons at him, striking him more than one time.
When safe, officers approached the suspect and safely detained him before giving him medical aid. The suspect was transported by the Houston Fire Department paramedics to Ben Taub General Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
As is customary in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents in the city limits, the case is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit, the Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
JKS/SOA 11-13-23
Inc. #161551823