Suspect in custody after shootout with officers in northeast Houston, HPD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A suspect is in custody after a shootout with Houston police officers on Tuesday morning, according to authorities.

The Houston Police Department said the shooting happened in the Denver Harbor/Port Houston neighborhood outside a home on Kress Street.

The department posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying it all started when a male suspect barricaded himself inside the home.

In an update, HPD Asst. Chief Megan Howard said at 6:30 a.m., officers responded to the scene where a man was threatening family members with a gun.

According to Howard, officers weren't able to access the property because the home was fenced off.

Police officers found teenagers who secured themselves in the home, saying the suspect was armed and possibly on some sort of substance, acting erratic.

Officers were able to get the teenagers out of the home through a bedroom window and later tried to get the suspect out of the house, according to Howard.

That's when the suspect allegedly came out with a pistol in his hand and opened fire at officers, prompting police to return fire.

Howard said the suspect opened fire once, and several rounds were shot by officers. The suspect then went back inside, communicated with police, and returned outside, appearing unarmed.

The SWAT team was able to distract the suspect as other officers were able to get beyond the fence, approach him, and take him into custody.

According to Howard, charges are pending against the suspect. A criminal investigation and internal affairs are looking into the shooting to determine if it was justified.