Carjacking suspect dies 1 week after being shot by 3 HPD officers, police say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A carjacking suspect died one week after he was shot by Houston police officers, officials announced on Wednesday.

Marcelo Alfredo Suarez, 24, was shot by three HPD officers on Feb. 27 in the 7800 block of Tidwell Road, according to investigators. He was pronounced dead on March 6 at Ben Taub Hospital.

According to HPD, Suarez carjacked a 19-year-old on Hillcroft at the Southwest Freeway last month.

The video above is from a previous report.

The carjacking victim told police he left his car running with the door open while he took out the trash. When he returned, the suspect was in the driver's seat.

In an attempt to stop the suspect, the victim got in the back seat but got back out of the car, unharmed, after the suspect exposed his weapon, police said.

Less than an hour later, a K-9 unit spotted the stolen vehicle and attempted to stop the driver with lights and sirens. Police said Suarez ignored the officer, and a chase began.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Suspect shot by HPD after carjacking 19-year-old and pursuing chase, police say

Officers from the Northeast Patrol assisted the K-9 unit in the pursuit, HPD said.

Police followed Suarez to the 7800 block of Tidwell, where he got out of the stolen vehicle and fled on foot, according to HPD.

Officials said Suarez shot at the officers and the K-9 during the foot chase.

That's when HPD said three officers returned fire, shooting Suarez,

Paramedics transported the suspect to the hospital. Suarez was charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a peace officer.

He was pronounced dead one week later.

HPD identified the officers who fired their weapons as P. Foster of the Tactical Operations Division and D. Jenkins and C. Welch of the Northeast Patrol Division. Foster was sworn in as an officer in April of 2008. Welch was sworn in back in May 2017, and Jenkins was in May 2019. Per HPD policy, the three officers are now on administrative leave.

Officials said one officer suffered a minor injury. The other two officers involved in the shooting were not injured.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner noted the shooting was HPD's ninth officer-involved shooting in 2022.

"I understand that I think this is the ninth officer-involved shooting in our city," Finner said to a group of reporters. "As I always say, continue to pray for our officers. This suspect has a family, and I always say, 'Pray for the family.' Just, at some moment, I hope that this violence, senseless violence and people firing upon officers, I hope it ends."