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WATCH: Video shows person walking away from vehicle fire minutes before arson investigator was killed

HOUSTON – KPRC 2 has obtained video from a home in the Heights showing a car set on fire just minutes before Houston Fire Department arson investigator Lemuel Bruce was shot and killed.

The video surveillance provided by a homeowner showed a person walking away from a vehicle fire moments before a shootout that left investigator Bruce and an arson suspect dead.

RELATED: Houston Fire Department arson investigator dies after shooting in NW Houston

Police said the shooting happened around 3:30 a.m. Friday in the 2100 block of Seamist Drive and W. 18th Street.

According to officers, Bruce and a team of six other investigators had been looking into a string of car fires in the Timbergrove and Heights areas.

HFD Chief Sam Peña said Bruce noticed a vehicle that matched the description of the suspect’s vehicle. Bruce had been conducting surveillance and was in contact with the team when the shooting happened.

Bruce was shot multiple times and was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he later died, according to HFD Chief Sam Peña.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.


About the Authors
Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli headshot

Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli has been a digital news editor at KPRC 2 since 2018. She is a published poet and has background in creative writing and journalism. Daniela has covered events like Hurricane Harvey and the Astros World Series win. In her spare time, Daniela is an avid reader and loves to spend time with her two miniature dachshunds.

Prairie View A&M University graduate with a master’s degree in Digital Media Studies from Sam Houston State. Delta woman. Proud aunt. Lover of the color purple. 💜

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