Houston police identify officer involved in shooting that left 1 robbery suspect dead

HOUSTON – Houston police said a 27-year-old robbery suspect died Tuesday morning in an officer-involved shooting at a hotel off the North Freeway.

Investigators said the shooting happened around 10:25 a.m. at 16510 North Freeway service road.

Houston police Chief Art Acevedo said the man -- who has not been identified until next of kin has been notified -- died at the scene from a gunshot wound to his upper torso chest area.

The shooting started after a surveillance effort by authorities. Acevedo said the man who died -- who was suspected in multiple robberies -- was shot after he raised a pistol at officers.

“The driver actually came out armed with a pistol, raised the pistol and one of our northeast CST units, not the tact unit, discharged one round from the patrol rifle striking the suspect,” the chief said. The officer has now been identified as HPD officer B. Frederick. No officers were injured in the incident, investigators said.

Acevedo said medics arrived at 10:30 a.m. and worked on the man and even gave him a blood transfusion at the scene, but he died about 11 a.m.

Two other suspects are also in custody. One of the men, who Acevedo said was armed with a pistol, dropped the weapon and tried to run. He was then hospitalized due to chest pain, Acevedo said.

He said one of the men who was taken into custody wore a bulletproof vest that had a hole in it, claiming the hole came from a previous encounter with police.

Courtnee Hamilton was staying at the motel and witnessed the parking lot shooting from his car.

“I look back and I see one of the suspects running off left. He was already gone. I look to the right they started surrounding the car,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton said he heard the officers give the suspect verbal commands prior to the sound of an assault rifle.

“Then you heard several shots going off I would say five or six from the AR-15,” he recounted. “Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.”

Acevedo said a team found an assault-style rifle in a room at the hotel and shared a photo with reporters.

Acevedo decried what he called the “coddling of violent criminals in this country.” He said he’s worried about officers and communities who he said face violent criminals who “go in one door and out the other.”

The Houston police chief said he hopes to work to pursue federal charges in this case.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office noted that it had previous issues at the address where the shooting happened.

Frederick will be placed on administrative leave and will return to limited duty as soon as possible, Acevedo said. Frederick has been on the force since December 2015.

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