Two Houston police officers involved in the incident are said to be “distraught” after hitting a 45-50-year-old man who has yet to be identified, Houston Police Department assistant executive Larry Satterwhite ( HPD) said in a news release. Saturday conference.
“This is a tragic night and a man has lost his life,” Satterwhite said. “Our prayers are with the victim and his family. It is an absolute tragedy.”
Officers received a call around 5 p.m. from a woman saying she had been robbed with a gun and that thieves had stolen her black Ford truck and purse, according to Satterwhite.
When police found the stolen vehicle, the suspects drove away and a chase began, the assistant executive said. When another HPD vehicle arrived to assist, that cruiser lost control and plowed onto the sidewalk, killing pedestrians, he explained.
“They ran lights and sirens trying to catch up and help our officers chase and apprehend suspects in connection with the more serious robbery,” said Satterwhite. “Tragically, as they were heading west on Reed Road, at the intersection, they somehow lost control.”
Officers performed CPR at the scene but the victim is presumed dead, Satterwhite said.
According to Satterwhite, the officers on board the vehicle that struck the pedestrian were on administrative leave while an investigation was underway to determine what caused them to lose control of the cruiser.
Both officers are about 25 years old and have been with the Houston force for less than two years, he continued.
Of the five suspects being chased in the aggravated robbery and carjacking, three of them – all minors – have been arrested and charged with more aggravated robbery, Satterwhite said. . Two others escaped.
According to Satterwhite, another officer suffered minor injuries when he was struck by the moving stolen vehicle as it was abandoned by the suspects.
Sean Teare, chief of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Vehicle Crime Division, said during the news conference that the case would not be handled any other way because it involved officers.
“It involves a human who has lost his life, so we will look at it from that lens,” Teare said, adding that authorities are examining a variety of evidence including surveillance footage and Information about the speed of the police cruiser at different points in the chase.
Although there will be a “very long investigation” before the case goes to a grand jury, Teare made clear that it will take into account the efforts of officers to help catch the suspects of the aggravated robbery. .
“Officers responded to a violent felony,” Teare said. “This is not a normal collision. A normal collision in situations like this would probably constitute different charges that we would even think about in this case.”
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