Neighbor allegedly broke into house and was shot by deputies after threatening them with knife: HCSO

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A deputy shot a man who allegedly ran toward law enforcement with a knife after trying to break into his neighbor's home in the Westbrook Lakes neighborhood on Wednesday, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez posted about the shooting on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Gonzalez said deputies responded to a weapons disturbance at about noon in the 13600 block of Braydon Bend Drive in northwest Harris County.

The sheriff's office was called when a neighbor reportedly heard gunshots.

Investigators said a man allegedly tried to break into his neighbor's house before returning to his home. When deputies arrived at the scene, the suspect barricaded himself inside a bathroom in his home.

Deputies had consent to enter the home from a person who lives with the suspect but was not there during the incident.

When deputies went into the house, the barricaded man allegedly lunged at a deputy with a knife.

The deputy, who was threatened with the knife, fired one shot and hit the suspect, according to investigators.

The sheriff's office said the suspect was struck in the torso and was flown to the hospital, where he underwent surgery.

Gonzalez said his deputies were not injured, and there was no threat to the community.

HCSO Asst. Chief Tommy Diaz said this was not their first encounter with the 61-year-old suspect, noting deputies have been called to the home 54 times this year.

Diaz said those calls included aggravated assaults, mental health, and weapons disturbances, some of which the suspect called himself, claiming that other people's lives were in danger.

The 38-year-old deputy involved is a 12-year veteran with the sheriff's office.

The incident marks the third shooting where law enforcement opened fire on at least one suspect within 24 hours.

On Tuesday, two Houston police officers shot two suspects who allegedly shot at them while attempting to make an arrest at the Taqueria Ruby at 45240 US-290 in Prairie View, according to the department.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, two deputies with the Harris County Sheriff's Office shot and killed an armed suspect at the end of a chase in northeast Houston.

Gonzalez said a traffic stop led to the chase involving five suspects. The sheriff said the suspect driver led deputies in Houston's East Little York/Homestead area, where the suspects took off on foot after driving into a ditch.

The three suspects were taken into custody and the search for a fifth suspect continues.

RELATED: Harris County deputies shoot suspect, arrest 3 others, search for 5th after chase, police say