Man wearing bulletproof vest, helmet shot by Houston officers after brief chase on southwest side

HOUSTON – A suspect was shot by police officers on Houston’s southwest side.

Houston Police confirm the shooting happened in the 13900 block of Buxley Street.

Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said the incident started when the department’s Crime Suppression Team was conducting surveillance in a neighborhood as part of an unrelated investigation.

While they were in the neighborhood, they saw a man come out of a home wearing a bulletproof vest, helmet, and holding a rifle case.

Diaz said the team communicated with other officers who pulled the man over a few streets away. He was driving a white Cadillac Escalade.

The Escalade initially stopped. While stopped, an undercover officer drove up in an unmarked vehicle and informed the officers in the marked HPD vehicle the suspect had a rifle.

Shortly afterwards, the suspect took off in the Escalade, prompting a brief chase.

When the suspect turned onto Buxley Street, officers attempted a pit maneuver unsuccessfully. At this point, Diaz said the man pulled out a weapon and four officers discharged their weapons.

“The suspect produced a weapon and may have shot with the rifle. Our officers engaged, striking the suspect, when he crashed into a nearby ditch, he took two rounds in the left shoulder,” Diaz said.

Because the suspect was wearing the bulletproof vest, Diaz said when he was shot, he only received minor injuries. He was transported to a hospital and is expected to survive.

Diaz said the man had an AR15 rifle. They don’t know why he had a ballistic vest and helmet. The suspect is said to be around 30-years-old.

Nearby Audrey H. Lawson Middle School was placed on lockdown during the incident. The lockdown has since been lifted.


About the Author

Christian Terry covered digital news in Tyler and Wichita Falls before returning to the Houston area where he grew up. He is passionate about weather and the outdoors and often spends his days off on the water fishing.

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