HOUSTON – A Houston police officer was shot while responding to a home invasion and armed robbery Spring Branch. Hours after the shooting, the officer has now been released from the hospital.
Tuesday afternoon, HPD announced that Officer S.A. Durfee is expected to make a full recovery.
UPDATE: Officer S. Durfee has been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. #HouNews https://t.co/I29QvptyYW pic.twitter.com/RQu83tcA8o
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) September 17, 2024
In the press conference shortly after the incident, Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz said Officer Durfee—whose identity had not been made public at the time—had been shot one time in the thigh and was in stable condition. He was described as in “very good spirits.”
“[Officer Durfee] is a hero in my book,” Chief Diaz added.
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What happened
Chief Diaz with the Houston Police Department said during a news conference that the shooting happened at a home in the 7100 block of Alderney Dr. and Antoine Dr.
That’s where two young gunmen disguised as delivery drivers knocked on the front door and forced their way inside when a mom who was home with her two kids, answered the door.
A neighbor saw the suspicious situation and called 911 around 9:40 a.m. Police officers got there in under five minutes, Chief Diaz confirmed.
When responding officers reached the scene, they found the home’s door wide open. The young woman and her children—ages 3 and 1—were inside. The mother’s wrists had been zip-tied, and the two men were attempting to rob the home.
When one of the home invaders saw the cops, they shot at them, hitting Durfee.
The two gunmen at the scene were taken into custody. A third suspect was taken into custody later in the day on Tuesday.
Chief Diaz described them as two men in their 20s. We don’t know yet why they picked this specific home.
The mother and children in the home were not hurt and Chief Diaz said they might have been saved in part due to the neighbor’s quick actions that enabled the police to respond immediately.