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Here's what we know about the officers injured in shootout

HOUSTON – KPRC2 is learning more about the five officers injured in Monday's shootout, which police said involved with two suspects, both of whom are dead.

Houston police have not released the names of the officers who were wounded, but HPD Chief Art Acevedo did provide new details about them.

Here's what we know:

A 50-year-old sergeant was shot in the face. He is a 25-year veteran of the Houston Police Department. Acevedo said he was released Tuesday afternoon.

A 33-year-old officer was shot in the shoulder. The 10-year veteran was released from the hospital Monday night.

A 54-year-old senior officer who works as a case agent and is a 32-year veteran of HPD was also shot Monday night. He was shot in the line of duty two other times -- in 1992 and 1997. Acevedo said the officer made entry after he saw fellow officers come under fire. Acevedo said he passed a note to investigators that said, "I had to get in there because I knew my guys were down."

"He's a big teddy bear, a strong ox, tough as nails. The only thing bigger than his body in terms of his stature is his courage," Acevedo said of the officer.

Another officer was shot, but Acevedo didn't want to discuss his condition, saying he's fighting, but stable.

Both of these officers are in critical condition, a spokesman for the Houston Police Officers' Union said Wednesday. He said doctors report that they're "trending in the right direction."

A 50-year-old sergeant and 27-year veteran of the force suffered a knee injury but was not shot. He underwent surgery. Acevedo said in a tweet Friday that the officer had been released from the hospital.

Acevedo said, "We need the community prayers for him and his family, and for all these officers, including the ones that weren't shot. If you can imagine, the guilt that gets in, the second-guessing. 'Why wasn't it me?' All these officers need prayers."

Mayor Sylvester Turner spoke about the injured officers during the city council's weekly meeting Wednesday saying the community is in this together.

“It's a reminder we're all in the front line together, so to speak, and so is the community and law enforcement working together for the good of people who live in our city,” said Turner. "I'm just very encouraged by what I've seen and what I've heard from people from all walks of life joining (in) providing support and prayers to these police officers and just law enforcement in general."

TIMELINE: How the shooting unfolded

According to Acevedo, there were several other officers who were part of the "initial stack" of the team executing the search warrant. None of them were shot, Acevedo said.

That group of officers included:

A 30-year-old officer who is a nine-year veteran of the department.

A 32-year-old officer who is a 10-year veteran of the department.

A 37-year-old officer who is an eight-year veteran of the department.

A 36-year-old officer who is an 11-year veteran of the department.

All four of them have been checked out and released. 

Acevedo could not say which officers fired their weapons at the suspects.

All of the officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

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Life Flight helicopter arrives in southeast Houston after several officers shot on Jan. 28, 2019.

Acevedo said a peer support team and psychologists were made available to the officers.

According to Acevedo, the officers made entry to a house in the 7800 block of Harding in the Gloverdale neighborhood in southeast Houston around 5 p.m. Monday to serve a search warrant after a tip from a neighbor led to a narcotics investigation. 

Police said the officers were immediately met with gunfire and got into a shootout with the suspects.

Dennis Tuttle, 58, and Rhogena Nicholas, 58, were both killed in the shootout.

Dennis Tuttle, left, and Rhogena Nicholas, right, are seen in photos that were shown by police during a news conference in Houston on Jan. 29, 2019.

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