Charges have been filed against two suspects in a shooting incident in which several Houston police officers discharged their duty weapons at 4500 Sunburst about 11:45 p.m. on Monday (Sept. 4).
The two female suspects are identified as Katrina Bendslev (w/f, 32) and Raeanna McFadden (w/f, 28). Bendslev is charged with aggravated assault against a public servant and McFadden with tampering with evidence. Both are charged in the 209th State District Court. The females sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to Ben Taub General Hospital.
A photo of McFadden, courtesy of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and a June 2017 photo of Bendslev are attached to this news release.
Seven HPD officers discharged duty weapons: L. Maldonado (sworn in as officer in August 2015), J. Rivera (December 2015), S. Brannon (December 2013), K. Smith (August 2016) and C. Dulin (December 2014). All are assigned to the South Gessner Patrol Division. Two undercover officers assigned to the Narcotics Division also discharged weapons. None of the officers was injured.
HPD Homicide Division Special Investigations Unit Sergeant M. Dillingham and Officers R. Lujan, A. August and M. Seay reported:
HPD officers, in a marked patrol vehicle, attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a black Cadillac Escalade for traffic violations at the Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet. The driver (Bendslev) of the Escalade refused to stop and led officers on a vehicle pursuit. The officers observed the passenger (McFadden) throw two syringes and a small bag of methamphetamine out of the vehicle’s window onto the Southwest Freeway. The Escalade exited the South Loop into a residential neighborhood and turned off its lights in an attempt to evade pursuing police units. Bendslev then turned onto Sunburst, a dead-end street with large fences at the intersection of Newcastle, which prevented Bendslev from fleeing further. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop and, as they were outside of their vehicles giving Bendslev and McFadden verbal commands, Bendslev struck a fire hydrant and reversed at a high rate of speed, striking at least two marked patrol vehicles. Bendslev then accelerated toward the officers.
Fearing for their lives, the responding officers discharged their duty weapons at the Escalade, striking it numerous times. Bendslev and McFadden were both struck and transported to the hospital where McFadden was treated and released. Also injured was a resident inside her home at 4504 Sunburst. She was struck when a bullet entered through the front windows. The victim was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital where she was treated and released.
As is customary when an HPD officer discharges a weapon, this case is being investigated by the HPD Homicide Division Special Investigations Unit, the HPD Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Katrina Bendslev Raeanna McFadden
JKS/JFC 9-6-17
Inc. #112738517