A day after Harris County Precinct 4 deputy Maher Husseini was murdered while he was on his way to work, it is still unclear whether or not the killing will be treated as a line-of-duty death of an officer.
- MORE INFORMATION: Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable gunned down on his way to work
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According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), line-of-duty deaths vary greatly based on the agency and jurisdiction where the crime is committed. However, the IACP Law Enforcement Policy Center says that agencies should consider the following criteria when determining whether a death was in the line of duty:
- Whether or not the death occurred during a law enforcement function
- Whether or not the death occurred while the officer was on duty
- Whether or not the officer was in uniform at the time of death
- Whether or not the officer was traveling to or from a duty
- Whether or not the death was a suicide
In the case of Husseini, the murder occurred while he was driving to work. It’s unclear whether or not driving to work is considered “traveling to or from a duty.” Even though Husseini was driving a personal vehicle when he was ambushed, Harris County Constable Mark Herman reported that he was wearing his uniform pants and gun belt.
When a law enforcement official dies in the line of duty, there are several benefits that the victim’s family is eligible for. These include life insurance policies, funeral assistance, health care coverage, and even educational benefits to family members.
KPRC 2′s Terrance Kelly asked Constable Herman whether or not this would be considered a line-of-duty death. He did not have an answer for us at this time, but he said he would reach out when a decision had been made.
The man suspected of committing the murder, Athir Murady, was arrested in Galveston Tuesday and taken to a nearby hospital.
After he is released, he will be extradited to Harris County to face charges associated with the murder. If authorities find proof that Murady was aware that Husseini was an officer at the time of the killing, he could be charged with capital murder of a peace officer.