HCSO Crisis Intervention Response Team speaks about North Freeway standoff
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- It was the tense and dramatic standoff that captured the attention and concern of so many in Houston and across the country -- a woman sitting in the middle of the North Freeway with a gun in her hand.
Deputies said that after intentionally crashing her vehicle into a semi-truck, the woman pulled a lawn chair from her wrecked car and settled in right in the middle of the busy freeway.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office called in its Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) to get the woman to safety and the help she needed, and the mission was a success.
On Tuesday, Sgt. Aaron Brown, who was a part of de-escalating the situation, walked us through those tense moments and the turning point that ended the hours-long standoff.
"I saw someone that was scared. I saw someone that looked lost. As I found out during the situation, I found out it's a mother -- it's a grandmother. It's a pet owner. She's a good person," Brown told ABC13.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Woman intentionally hit big rig before sitting in traffic with gun, officials say
One of the things that really changed everything was -- we start talking about she's a grandma," Brown continued. "So we start talking about that and she gave me the biggest, most beautiful smile I've ever seen in my life."
Brown said that's when they had good conversations. He said she stood up, started walking towards them, and she was taken care of.
"Big breath -- thank goodness," Brown sighed. "It means everything. It keeps me going."
You can watch Brown's full interview in the video player above.
