Houston police have arrested a suspect charged with shooting at, but not striking, two HPD patrol officers at 7500 East Freeway (East Interstate Highway 10) about 1:40 a.m. on Sunday (January 31).
The suspect, Eddie Edwards (b/m, 26), is charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a public servant, evading arrest, and felon in possession of a weapon in the 180th State District Court. A booking photo of Edwards is attached to this news release.
Officer C. Eko, who discharged his duty weapon, suffered minor lacerations to his hand from broken glass. He is assigned to the Northeast Patrol Division and was sworn in as an officer in May 2019.
HPD Special Investigations Unit Sergeant G. Rodriguez and Detectives M. Resnick, I. Ulloa, J. Brown reported:
Officer Eko and his partner were patrolling in the 8000 block of the East Freeway when they saw a black BMW speeding and failing to signal a lane change. The officers then attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The suspect (Edwards) ignored all signals to pull over and began to actively evade arrest in a motor vehicle, traveling westbound on the main lanes of the East Freeway before exiting at Wayside Drive. Edwards then crashed his car in the 7500 block of the East Freeway service road, got out of his vehicle, and fled on foot westbound on the service road. Edwards then fled northbound on Harbor Street where the officers attempted to intercept him.
As the officers, still in their patrol vehicle, turned onto Harbor Street, Edwards stopped, drew a handgun, and began firing multiple times at the officers. Gunshots struck the patrol vehicle several times near the passenger side front door and windshield, narrowly missing both officers. Officer Eko, who was in the passenger seat, drew his duty weapon and returned fire. Neither the officers nor Edwards were struck during the exchange of gunfire. The officers then drove around the block and intercepted Edwards as he walked back to his vehicle. Edwards was subsequently arrested without further incident.
Edwards’ handgun was located in a nearby lumberyard. He was also found to be in possession of a backpack containing various types of narcotics.
As is customary in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents within the city limits, this case is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit and Internal Affairs Division.
Eddie Edwards
JKS/KJS 2-1-21
Inc. #014351721