HOUSTON – The family and friends of Ozair Kazi, the 28-year-old man who police say was shot by a retired Sugar Land police officer, held a news conference Friday to discuss the case and call for justice and a thorough and independent investigation into the shooting that happened on Sunday.
Kazi’s father, Khalid Kazi, said his family has lived in the neighborhood for more than two decades and their son grew up there and the family never had any issues with their neighbor.
Some at the news conference called for an investigation into what exactly happened that led to the shooting and what some said could be construed as a hate crime. It was not clear whether those speakers spoke for the family or just for themselves. Others in the news conference called for a look into gun laws.
Kazi’s family has said he has bipolar disorder and was shot in the stomach Sunday night on the sidewalk near his home.
″I Pray that what happened with me never happens to anybody, to suffer like this and I’m just waiting for him to get healed, his wounds and come home safely,” Khalid Kazi said.
Police said the officer shot Kazi after he refused to leave the retired officer’s property Sunday night around 9:30 p.m.
Officers said the retired officer and Kazi had an argument in the former officer’s garage before the shooting occurred.
At last check, no arrests have been made in the case and the investigation is ongoing.
Watch KPRC 2′s Taisha Walker’s full report on the incident from earlier this week.