US-59 in Houston shutdown at Chimney Rock after police officer, suspect shot
Chase ends with suspect dead, officer injured
A Houston police officer is recovering in the hospital and a suspected carjacker is dead after a chase ended in a shootout in the middle of a Southwest Freeway near the Chimney Rock exit. Police say they spotted a vehicle that was taken from a carjacking on Friday and got behind the driver who tried to make a run for it.
HOUSTON - A Houston police officer is in the hospital and a suspect has died after a shooting at the end of a chase on the US-59 Southwest Freeway, officials say.
According to HPD Chief Troy Finner, the 29-year-old officer, a five-year veteran of the department, sustained at least one gunshot wound to the leg and is receiving treatment. He was last reported to be in stable condition.
The shooting occurred in the northbound lanes of the Southwest Freeway near Chimney Rock Road shortly after 10 a.m. Saturday.
According to Chief Finner, the incident began not too far away when officers spotted a vehicle that had been taken in a carjacking on Friday.
"Officers got behind the suspect, didn't alert using any emergency equipment or anything. Somehow the suspect was alerted and decided to flee officers," Chief Finner says.
The police chief says the officers then pursued the suspect, going northbound on US-59 for about four minutes before there was a "violent crash." The suspect reportedly crashed into several vehicles.
Chief Finner says the suspect and officers got out of their vehicles, and he shot one of the officers.
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At some point during the incident, Chief Finner says the suspect had also tried to carjack two other motorists.
The police chief says at least three officers shot at the suspect, and the suspect was shot multiple times.
The officer and the suspect were taken to the hospital, where the suspect was pronounced dead. The suspect has not been identified. Police described him only as a young adult Hispanic male.
During the press conference at the hospital, the police chief recognized the civilians who helped police pull the officer to safety after he was shot.
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"There's one citizen out there who has had some trouble with law enforcement in his life. But today he and a few other citizens, along with our officers, when that officer went down, they pulled him to safety," Chief Finner said. "And I want to celebrate that, and I want to share this with the public because it's so important. People make mistakes. But a truly reformed individual is a person that we can use. And he stepped up and other citizens stepped up, and I don't want that to get lost."
The investigation into the shooting continues. Per policy, HPD’s special investigative unit will conduct the criminal part of the investigation and Internal Affairs will conduct the administrative part of the investigation.