Charges have been filed against an armed man who was arrested in a shooting incident in which Houston Police Department officers during a pursuit.
The incident unfolded in the 14000 block of Buxley Street around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7.
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The suspect, identified as Walter L. Howard, 54, faces four counts of aggravated assault of a peace officer and one count of evading arrest with a vehicle.
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Four HPD officers discharged their duty weapons during the incident, and none of them were injured.
HPD officials reported that officers were conducting an unrelated investigation with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force when they observed Howard approaching their vehicles.
Howard then returned to his home and exited a short time later wearing body armor, a tactical helmet, and carrying a long case consistent with a rifle case.
Howard got into his vehicle, a white Cadilac Escalade SUV, and drove toward the undercover officers, challenging them about their presence in his neighborhood before driving away.
The neighborhood is close to a school, prompting officers to request marked patrol units to approach his vehicle.
Officers attempted to pull Howard over at 13900 block of Stancliff Street. He stopped and spoke with officers for a moment and then took off. A P.I.T. maneuver was attempted on his vehicle, but it was unsuccessful.
As officers attempted a second P.I.T. maneuver, Howard leaned out of the driver’s side window and pointed his rifle at them.
The chase continued until Howard came to a brief stop at Buxley Street, leaned out of the driver’s side window again, and pointed his rifle at officers.
This promoted the officers to shoot, and they struck the suspect at least once. Howard then got back in his car and continued to drive before crashing into a ditch a short distance away.
Officers took Howard into custody and performed first aid. Paramedics transported him to an area hospital, where his gunshot wounds were treated, and he was released. He was subsequently charged and booked into the Harris County Jail.
As is standard in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents within city limits, this incident is being investigated.
