Family friend of couple killed in raid reacts to police news conference

HOUSTON (FOX 26) — Tabitha Herman from Columbus, Ohio, was indelibly touched by the shooting deaths of Rhogena Nickolous Tuttle and Dennis Tuttle.

Herman says Rhogena was like a mother to her. She reacted to the Houston Police Department news conference bombshell about one of the injured officers allegedly lying about buying black tar heroin from the couple, the fabrication that the no-knock warrant was based on.

"I knew for a fact that officer lied," says Herman in a videoconference interview with FOX 26 News. "I knew from the minute they said 'black tar heroin' there was no way, none. I would like any of the officers whose names were originally on the forms that said there was a confidential informant that did all of this be fired. They do not deserve to have their jobs anymore."

Herman questions why the undercover officers did not wear body cameras. That is something that HPD Chief Art Acevedo says could be changing.

"There is a high probability about our pre-entry teams putting on body-worn cameras," says Acevedo."There's a high probability that we will move on that sooner rather than later."

Acevedo also says other cases worked on by the officer accused of lying will be re-examined. He is also promising an extensive look into the actual use of force and the exchange of gunfire between the police and the Tuttles.

Acevedo is also questioning the department's use of no-knock raids.

"After having four officers shot and two suspects killed, we will be tightening that up pretty well," adds Acevedo. "If it's that dangerous, we probably need to use a much different type of team to go in so that's all part of the review."