$125K bond for former HPD officer accused of fatally shooting wife in face with rifle at NW Houston apartment

HOUSTON – A $125,000 bond has been set for a former Houston Police Department officer who is accused of shooting his wife in the face with a rifle in northwest Houston Monday.

Galib Waheed Chowdhury, 31, was charged with aggravated assault of a family member with serious bodily injury. He was arrested and relieved of duty.

On Monday, HPD and emergency officials with the Houston Fire Department responded to reports of the shooting at the Westerly Apartments located in the 10300 block of Clay Road at around 12:45 a.m. The woman, who police identified as Chowdhury’s 30-year-old wife, was found shot in the face.

RELATED: HPD officer accused of shooting wife in face says it was accidental, wife refuses to give statement to police

She was transported to a nearby trauma center in stable condition and underwent surgery.

Shortly after, investigators determined that an officer shot the woman. The officer was later identified as Chowdhury.

Chowdhury’s wife wasn’t willing to give a statement but investigators said she told medical staff her husband shot at her and it was an accident.

In a news conference Monday, HPD Chief Finner said that the department does not issue rifles, but the weapon used could have been his personal rifle that was registered through the agency, which is part of the current investigation.

“It’s never easy to stand before you. Domestic violence is very serious in our community and also around the nation, and we stand here at HPD to do everything that we can to prevent that,” Finner said.

Do you need help? Free domestic violence resources here

“Look, a day’s service is a day’s service. Once you put that patch on and that badge on, you’re a police officer, and I expect you to conduct yourself at all times as a police officer,” Finner said. “I’m very troubled on some things that we know now.”

The investigation remains “very active,” Finner said.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES:

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• Breaking Free: Transgender people are nearly twice as likely to experience intimate partner violence
• Breaking Free: Tow-A-Way domestic violence
• Breaking Free: Domestic violence in the LGBTQ community