Houston police say 26-year-old Richard Earl Davis was apparently despondent over losing his job a couple of weeks ago when a restaurant where he worked closed. Police say the man was also upset over losing his apartment and some issue with his girlfriend.
According to police, about two weeks ago, Davis obtained a pistol and threatened his girlfriend, leading to a warrant being issued for his arrest.
On Monday, police say Davis left his mother's apartment armed with a pistol. His mother and brother both tried to stop him and calm him down. At around 2:20pm, Davis came to confront his girlfriend at a bus stop on the 249 feeder road southbound, just south of Gessner along a sidewalk on the edge of Willowbrook Mall.
His mother was also there as Davis confronted the girlfriend. According to police, she became so concerned about her safety that she ran to a nearby HPD storefront for help. Two officers responded to the disturbance call, but they say Davis would not cooperate with them.
"He refused all commands from the officers to comply, instead drew a weapon -- a pistol -- from his waistband. As he was drawing the weapon, the officers immediately told to him to drop the weapon. He refused to do so," said Kese Smith with the Houston Police Department. "Once he had drawn the weapon, officers, fearing for their safety, discharged their duty weapons more than once."
The girlfriend was not injured. We don't know how many times Davis was shot, but we counted at least eight spent shell casings along the feeder road near where that man fell.
Police say Davis did not get off a single shot before police took him down. After securing the weapon, the officers called for an ambulance and began performing CPR until the EMS crews arrived. Davis was pronounced dead at the Northwest Medical Center.
The two officers involved have been with HPD since 2008 and are assigned to the Northwest Patrol Division. Neither of them were injured. As is standard procedure, this shooting will be reviewed by HPD Internal Affairs and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
