Vehicle in Highland Village-area shooting linked to Fort Bend domestic assault case, authorities say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Authorities have linked a Fort Bend County domestic abuse and assault case to a Houston officer-involved shooting. The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that a vehicle stolen by a domestic violence suspect on Sunday was the car shot at by Houston police on Monday.

ABC13 obtained video shot from inside the Highland Village Escalante's restaurant that shows law enforcement, a K9, and weapons drawn as Houston police surround a vehicle Monday evening.

The driver of that vehicle can be seen cracking the driver's door, sticking something out, and the police open fire.

"Complete chaos and pretty terrifying," witness Kristin Collins said.

Collins said she and friends were out having dinner when they noticed police surrounding a car. She listened as police ordered the driver out, but said she never imagined it would escalate.

"I'm army crawling across the floor with everyone else, and we were just hiding there; there were so many gunshots," Collins said.

Houston Police said they were first called out to check on the vehicle after receiving multiple calls about it. At this point, police have only said the calls concerned a suspicious vehicle parked at that location.

Investigators ran the plate and said it was a stolen vehicle from Fort Bend County.

According to the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, on Sunday, they began investigating an assault and family violence case in which the suspect stole the victim's vehicle. Fort Bend investigators confirmed to Eyewitness News that their stolen vehicle is believed to be the one shot at by Houston police.

Houston police told ABC13 they tried to order the driver out of the car after discovering it was stolen, but instead opened fire when the driver made a sudden movement.

The driver was struck and taken to the hospital, where he is alive and recovering.

"I don't think any of us thought that would be the way our evening turned out; that's for sure. We were all in shock," Collins said.

Neither Fort Bend nor Houston has said if the suspects in both cases are the same person. ABC13 is also waiting for Houston police to confirm if the driver was, in fact, armed.

SEE ORIGINAL REPORT: Suspect hospitalized after being shot by HPD officers in Highland Village area, police say