Traffic stop ends with officer-involved shooting

HOUSTON The incident began just after midnight on the Southwest Freeway near Weslayan.

Investigators say the officer pulled over a white pickup truck over for speeding. The officer noticed the suspect may have been intoxicated and ordered him out of his vehicle.

According to police, the suspect reached for his waist and lunged at the officer, sparking a physical fight with the officer. At one point, the officer was almost thrown over a retaining wall.

The suspect then ran back to his pickup, ignoring calls for him to stop.

An HPD spokesperson says the officer feared the suspect was going back to get a weapon from the vehicle, so he fired one shot at the driver, hitting him in the back.

The driver was taken to the hospital and is listed as stable, and three other men inside the truck were taken into custody for questioning. The officer suffered only minor cuts and bruises.

Traffic on the Southwest Freeway was backed up for several hours.