HOUSTON – The family of 46-year-old Marcelo Garcia is grieving his death.
Garcia’s family said he was having a mental health crisis at about 12:40 a.m. Wednesday at his home in northeast Harris County on Wednesday.
Garcia’s wife, Luciana, said she called the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and requested their mental health unit but, according to HCSO, they were on another call.
A deputy arrived at the scene and, according to the Sheriff’s Office, was met at the front door by Garcia who was holding a knife and walking towards him.
The Sheriff’s Office said the deputy gave Garcia commands to put down the knife, but he refused. The deputy then tried tasing Garcia but it was ineffective and eventually, he pulled out his gun and fired.
“He fired two shots, one right after another and that’s when my husband fell,” said Luciana Garcia in Spanish.
Luciana said her husband struggled with his mental health and has just seen a psychiatrist last week.
According to Garcia’s family, he was diagnosed as being bipolar and schizophrenic.
“We struggled with him so much only for someone else to come and take his life,” said Marcelo’s mother, Maria Esperanza Garcia.
The deputy has not yet been identified but we are told he will be placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in these cases.
HCSO said he did have mental health training, which they said exceeds state standards
KPRC 2 had requested the bodycam footage but has not been notified on when it will be available.