Here are things to know for Wednesday, Oct. 21:
1. 41-year veteran HPD Officer Sgt. Harold Preston dies in shooting near NRG, officials say
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Houston authorities said veteran Houston Police Officer Sgt. Harold Preston has died after a shooting near NRG Tuesday morning.
Preston was a 41-year veteran of the force. He was struck multiple times, according to Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo.
His death was disclosed during an update at Memorial Hermann Hospital.
2. 3 local rappers killed, another man injured in shooting at club in Midtown Houston, police say
Three men were killed and another was injured in a shooting Tuesday night at a night club in Midtown, according to police.
The shooting happened at 9:43 p.m. inside DD Sky Club, located at 2217 Chenevert Street. Police said the gunman fled the scene.
Police said all three victims were rappers in their 20s and were looking to have a career in the music industry. Investigators said the victims would come to the club every week to perform and had family members in attendance.
3. Spc. Vanessa Guillen’s death ruled ‘in the line of duty’
The death of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen has been ruled “in the line of duty” after a military investigation into the case, according to a statement issued by the Army on Tuesday.
The ruling entitles Guillen’s family to compensation to help with expenses, a funeral with full military honors, life insurance and final pay and allowances.
4. TABC: Liquor licenses yanked from well-known Houston bars over coronavirus protocol violations
The liquor licenses at four Houston bars have been suspended after the establishments failed to follow the state’s coronavirus safety rules, according to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
State officials said Tuesday that the licenses for Lux Lounge, The Standard, Spire and Sol Billares have been suspended for 30 days as part of a weeklong effort to enforce the state’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
5. Texas coronavirus cases, hospitalizations continue to soar
New cases of the coronavirus continued to soar in Texas, state health officials said Tuesday, as the number of people in the state hospitalized because of the virus stayed at spiked levels not seen in two months.
Tuesday saw the addition of 4,856 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19, more than 400 more than the 4,422 reported Monday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The addition of 174 unreported cases from previous days pushed the increase to 5,032.
Also, 4,588 COVID-19 patients were in Texas hospitals Tuesday, the most since 4,907 cases were reported in hospitals on Aug. 26.