TIMELINE: How police closed the net around man accused of killing a Houston doctor
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Here's how the police closed the net around Joseph Pappas, the man accused of killing the prominent Houston doctor in the Texas Medical Center.
Friday morning, Pappas committed suicide in a grassy area along Bob White Drive near S. Braeswood Boulevard.
Houston police provided the following timeline of events:
9:21 a.m. - Officials received a call of an individual chasing a suspicious person.
9:25 a.m. - The individual called authorities and said the suspect was near the Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Center. He also told police that he believed the suspect may be Pappas.
9:30 a.m. - The individual called back and identified himself as an employee of the Houston Parks Board. He told police that he regularly canvasses the area to stop potential acts of vandalism.
He said he saw the suspect run away, and later found his wallet with an ID, which identified him as Joseph Pappas.
9:35 a.m. - Police units arrived, found Pappas, and begin giving him orders at gunpoint. Officers say Pappas raised his left hand, but hid his right hand, and whispered something about suicide before the officer asked for both of his hands.
The officer then re-positioned his patrol car to put the engine block between himself and Pappas.
A back-up unit arrived from the opposite direction, and Pappas shot himself in the head.
