Houston police have released body camera video of a fatal shooting that occurred last month in the Spring Branch area, where an officer shot and killed a man who investigators say threatened police with a baseball bat and a chunk of concrete.
The incident happened on Friday, May 23, around 3:40 p.m. in the 7800 block of Hammerly Boulevard.
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FIRST REPORT: Officer shoots, kills man in Spring Branch after officials say he threatened them with baseball bat, chunk of concrete
According to HPD’s Special Investigations Unit, officers responded to a call from a security guard at a nearby strip center who said a man had assaulted him with a bat earlier that morning and was refusing to leave the property.
When officers arrived, they found the man, described as a 64-year-old, nearby and attempted to make contact.
Investigators say the man became aggressive, swinging a bat at officers and ignoring repeated commands in both English and Spanish. Officers deployed their tasers multiple times, but police say they had no effect.
The suspect then picked up a piece of concrete and continued approaching the officers while still holding the bat, according to HPD.
That’s when Officer K. Gideon, assigned to the Northwest Patrol Division, fired his weapon multiple times, striking the man. Paramedics with the Houston Fire Department pronounced him dead at the scene.
The suspect’s identity is still pending confirmation by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
Officer Gideon, who joined HPD in Oct. 2022, was not injured. He has been placed on administrative duties as the investigation continues, standard protocol in officer-involved shootings.
The HPD Special Investigations Unit, Internal Affairs Division, and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office are all involved in the ongoing review of the case. HPD said body cam video was released as part of the department’s commitment to transparency.