HOUSTON – Members of a Harris County Violent Crimes Task Force shot and killed an aggravated robbery suspect in east Houston on Wednesday after authorities said he "used his vehicle as a weapon."
The suspect, a Hispanic man in his 20s, stole a black sedan from someone in Humble, authorities said.
Undercover Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and Harris County deputies followed him most of the day.
They made their move at Gellhorn Drive at the East Freeway around 5:45 p.m., attempting to pin the sedan and arrest the man, but they said he resisted.
"He began to violently back up, and as a result of him violently backing up and almost hitting officers, officers discharged their weapons," Houston Police Assistant Chief Sheryl Victorian said.
Three members of the task force, two troopers and a deputy, opened fire, Victorian said.
The deputy is a 17-year veteran law enforcement officer, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said, including four years with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
The troopers and deputy were not injured. Neither was a woman in the passenger's side of the stolen car.
Victorian said the woman is being treated as a witness.
"It's our understanding that there are at least two more aggravated robberies connected to the suspect that had occurred over the span of at least two days," Gonzalez said. "So there may be a crime spree going on here."
Asked if the suspect was armed, DPS regional director Jason Taylor said investigators had not finished searching the suspect's vehicle.
"He was using the vehicle as a weapon to strike other vehicles at the time of the incident," Taylor said.
Houston police are investigating the deadly officer-involved shooting. The Harris County Sheriff's Office is investigating the initial aggravated robbery and the deceased suspect's possible connections to other crimes.