HOUSTON – It’s the case that has captivated the city, it’s also produced an FBI investigation into the Houston Police Department. Now, for the first time we're hearing HPD dispatch calls focused on the home at 7815 Harding Street weeks before four officers were shot and two homeowners were killed.
The botched police raid happened on Jan. 28, 2019.
And police Chief Art Acevedo said the raid stemmed from an incident at the home on Jan. 8, 2019.
But what do we really know about that night?
On Jan. 28, 2019, HPD's airwaves were filled with deadly drama.
Jan. 28, 2019, Edited Radio Transmissions:
"We're going to be at 7815 Harding, 7815 Harding ... we have multiple officers shot ... multiple officers shot …"
The internal chatter from HPD as a botched raid unraveled.
"DOA on Harding."
"We have the house surrounded. We've got units in the back. We still got officers inside."
Hours after four officers were shot and a married couple killed, HPD Chief Art Acevedo addressed the city, "Because we had a search warrant, narcotics activity was going on at that residence, specifically the sale of black tar heroin."
He added, "This all began because a neighbor had the courage to say, we are not going to put up, we think they are dealing dope outside of this house."
Days later, the story shifted and the caller was an anonymous mother.
Jan. 31, 2019
On Jan. 31, 2019, Acevedo said, "On Jan. 8, 2019, patrol officers of the Eastside Division of the Houston Police Department received a call, and were dispatched for service at 7815 Harding regarding a suspicious person. The caller wanted to remain anonymous but said that her daughter it was inside the residence, 'doing drugs and they have a lot of guns in the residence.'"
After Channel 2 Investigates first revealed lying police officers manufactured the unlawful warrant, Acevedo remained steadfast on one aspect:
Acevedo: It's really important for the community to realize, we still had reason to be at that home, we should not draw final conclusions as disturbing as it is, until we discover every single investigative lead.
Mario Diaz: Chief you indicated you had reason to be at that home, there appears to be no reason listed in this affidavit?
Acevedo: But remember that affidavit is but one piece of a very comprehensive investigation.
What do we know about Jan. 8, 2019, the date that triggered all of this? We know there was a 911 call but HPD declined to turn it over.
However, Channel 2 Investigates uncovered HPD's dispatch audio from that day.
Jan. 8, 2019 Edited Radio Transmissions:
"Yeah I'm not sure if you want to run this Code 2… it's 7815 Harding Street," indicated the radio dispatch audio from Jan. 8, 2019.
It included, "She wants to remain anonymous. Advises at this location there's possibly doing drugs and guns inside the residence and indicates that her daughter is possibly in there."
During the call, the call slip is referenced, “What's the details on the call slip?” Another voice responds, “Daughter is at location. She possibly thinks there's drugs, guns inside the residence. She wants to remain anonymous she just called back again asking ETA.”
The call ultimately ended up empty.
According to the Jan. 8, 2019, radio transmission, "The police arrived at the location and knocked on the door, they won't answer plus she wants her daughter arrested."
Jan. 8, 2019 call slip:
Days after the botched raid Acevedo referenced the Jan. 8, 2019 call slip multiple times.
"The officers called the anonymous caller on the phone number listed on the call slip ... the officer wrote a detailed note within the call slip history to document their actions, what they had learned and what they had done."
HPD provided Channel 2 Investigates with the Jan. 8 call slip ... however, the call slip didn't have a narrative.They also confirm no police report was filed. Yet, off one 911 call and this slip, HPD narcotics went all in.
READ: Harding Street call slip
Since the night of the deadly shooting there has been a changing story line, but the facts show that police lied and people died. Acevedo's special investigations unit exposed the lies. But the chief said they still a had reason to be at 7815 Harding.
Acevedo also confirmed to Channel 2 that his investigators have been in contact with the mother and daughter in question in the 911 call from Jan. 8, 2019. He also added, everything will come out in due time.
