Eyewitness News has learned the suspect was holding a phone when the sheriff's office says he made a sudden, threatening move toward an officer. But some neighbors say they're not surprised this man was shot and killed.
"This is a sad, sad evening," said neighbor Debbie Ghanem.
According to the sheriff's office, deputies were at the home at around 9pm Wednesday serving an arrest warrant on Gerrit Perkins, 37, for a charge of aggravated assault of a family member.
Deputies say Perkins had assaulted his girlfriend and we've learned he's been convicted on assault charges before, once back in 2009 and then again this April.
"When they arrived at the house, the suspect's girlfriend allowed deputies to go inside the home," said Christina Garza with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
A deputy, who has been identified as 10-year veteran Deputy Gbublee, found Perkins hiding in a closet.
"The deputy instructed the suspect numerous times to show his hands. The suspect suddenly makes a movement toward our deputy," Garza said. "Our deputy, in fear for his life, shoots his weapon once, striking the suspect. The suspect did have what our deputy saw as a shiny object."
Perkins was taken to a hospital and later died. Deputies determined the shiny object he was holding was a phone. But even as neighbors comfort Perkins' girlfriend over this tragedy, some say they're not surprised this happened.
"We told her to stay away from this guy. Don't have nothing to do with him, but hey, everybody's got to make their own choices, I guess," said neighbor John Salazar.
The deputy was not hurt in this incident.
