HOUSTON – Providing the type of view that many of us have never seen before, the Houston Police Department has released a compilation of dashcam and body cam videos showing the point of views of multiple officers who were caught up in a wild shootout with a suspect in late January.
In the opening of the video, HPD Assistant Chief Patty Cantu explained the sequence of events, with a disclaimer.
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“This critical briefing is intended to provide you with information about an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Houston on January 27, 2022,” she said. “You’re about to see video footage that is related to this incident.”
Cantu also gave a word of caution as the video may be, for some, graphic in nature or considered difficult to watch.
Viewer discretion is advised.
The video shows terrifying scenes of officers being under a siege of gunfire, shattering the windows of their patrol cars, in addition to showing the moments that several officers were shot.
On that day at 2:45 p.m., Houston police officers responded to a threat to life call. Officers were provided the suspect’s name, Roland Caballero, and the description of the vehicle he was driving. While searching the area, officers spotted the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop.
Caballero fled and crashed in the 2500 block of Hutchins Street. He immediately got out of his vehicle and fired his weapon numerous times at the officers, striking two of them. The officers returned fire, police said.
Caballero fled on foot and approached a woman in a white Mercedes who was trying to enter a nearby apartment complex, police said. Caballero ordered the woman out of the vehicle at gunpoint while continuing to fire at officers. A third officer was struck at this time.
Caballero fled in the woman’s vehicle.
According to HPD, more officers went to Caballero’s residence and saw the stolen vehicle parked outside. The SWAT team arrived and established a perimeter. As SWAT officers approached the residence, Caballero fired shots at them from inside, and again, officers returned fire.
Hours later, Caballero surrendered. He had sustained a gunshot wound to the neck area and was transported to the hospital in stable condition.
The three officers injured by Caballero’s bullets sustained non-life threatening injuries.
Here is a breakdown of video and timecodes
Scene 1: Officer Hayden’s dashcam
(Video timecode: 2:21)
Shows the moment bullets hit the windshield and damaged the dashcam.
Scene 2: Officer Gadson’s body-worn camera
(Video timecode: 2:43)
Shows tense moments with officer running in the line of fire, dodging bullets and returning fire. That officer encountered a fellow officer who was injured and on the ground.
“I’m hit, I’m hit,” the injured officer yelled out.
Scene 3: Officer Ricinos-Diaz’s body worn camera
(Video timecode 4:19)
Another view of officers caught up in a hail of gunfire. Officer reports to dispatch that there was an “officer down.
Scene 4: Officer Alvarez’s body worn camera
(Video timecode: 5:55)
The bodycam fell off the officer after he exited his vehicle. The view is obstructed, but you can hear multiple rounds being fired, similar to being in a war zone.
Scene 5: Officer Hayden’s body worn camera
(Video timecode: 6:49)
The officer in the video yells out “shots fired,” then requests dispatch to send EMS because he got hit.
The officer then begins to tie a tourniquet around his arm and asks for a citizen he crosses paths with to assist him.
“Hurry, hurry, tighten that. Tight, tight, tight,” he instructs.
Scene 6: Officer Barnett’s body worn camera
(Video timecode: 7:34)
Video shows intense moments of SWAT team breaking the windows at Caballero’s home. You then hear an exchange of gunfire as officers duck for cover.
Scene 7: Officer Dexter’s body worn camera
(Video timecode: 7:54)
Video shows another view of SWAT officers outside Caballero’s home. You can see the flash of fire from the guns as bullets fly.
Scene 7: Officer Villa’s body worn camera
(Video timecode: 8:21)
Final scene shows suspect surrendering. Officers order Caballero to put his hands in the air, walk bacKward to them and get down on his knees, ending the hours-long standoff.
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