HPD says carjacking suspect reloaded gun after being shot during gunfire exchange on SW Freeway
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston Police Department officer is recovering in the hospital after being shot Saturday morning on the Southwest Freeway by an alleged carjacker.
At about 10:10 a.m., officers spotted a car that had been reported stolen during a carjacking the previous day. Officers from the Westside Patrol Division attempted to pull the 19-year-old driver over, but he did not stop.
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A brief pursuit ensued but came to a close on the main lanes of the Southwest Freeway near Chimney Rock when the suspect crashed the stolen car into several other vehicles.
Officer Gibson can be heard giving the suspect commands out loud, but the suspect opened fire and hit the officer in the leg.
From there, other officers attempted to give the suspect commands to drop his gun as he exited the vehicle and tried to enter another, but HPD said he did not comply.
Officers fired at the suspect before he fell to the ground with apparent injuries.
Still, HPD said he declined to follow commands and reloaded another magazine into his gun, and officers fired again.
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Five officers, with a combined more than 27 years with the department, fired at the suspect. Officer Gibson, who was shot, did not fire at the suspect.
The suspect, whose identity has not been released, died at the hospital.
Officer Gibson remains hospitalized but is said to be stable.
Also injured were a man, a woman, and a child who were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the crash that disabled the suspect's car.
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