It happened around midnight outside the Living Well Faith Church on West Fuqua near Fondren.
The off-duty Harris County deputy involved in this shooting also happens to be a deacon at the church. He and several other deacons were cleaning inside when they were alerted that a man was breaking into cars.
Investigators tell us the off-duty deputy ran outside and confronted the man. That's when shots were fired.
"He confronted the suspect. The subject reached under the seat of the vehicle like he was going to pull a weapon or an object out from underneath the seat," said Thomas Gilliland with the Harris County Sheriff's Office. "He then turned and pointed toward the deputy. (The deacon) discharged his weapon several times at the suspect."
Police don't believe the suspect was hit, but bullets from the deputy's gun did hit the church awning and the church building, as well as the suspect's car tire. Authorities say when they searched the suspect's vehicle, they also found stolen backpacks inside.
The off-duty deputy was not injured. The suspect managed to run off and has not been located by authorities.
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