HOUSTON – Houston activists denounce the recent reinstatement of a Houston police sergeant and three officers who were fired for their role in the deadly shooting of Nicholas Chavez.
On Monday, HPOU released a statement saying the officers and sergeant were rightfully reinstated and were made whole with full payback and seniority. The union further stated that evidence from its attorneys determined that Mayor Sylvester Turner and others were misled by former Chief Acevedo to believe the officers violated the department’s policies.
Officers Luis Alvarado, Omar Tapia, Patrick Rubio and Sgt. Benjamin LeBlanc will now go back to work.
On April 21, 2020, Nicolas Chavez, 27, was killed by police in northeast Houston during a confrontation that was captured on bodycam video. Part of it was also captured on a bystander’s cellphone.
In October 2021, a Harris County grand jury declined to indict the Houston police officers.
Following the jury’s decision, the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice requested that the U.S. Department of Justice commence an immediate, full investigation of the deprivation of rights under color of law concerning the death of Chavez.
The Greater Houston Coalition for Justice will ask congressional elected officials for a full investigation of the deprivation of rights under color of law in the death of Nichols Chavez by the US Department of Justice received immediate attention, according to a release.