3 charged after Houston officer-involved shooting leads to arrest at Wisdom High School
HOUSTON - Houston police have identified the three suspects who were arrested following an officer-involved shooting that prompted a lockdown at Wisdom High School less than a mile away on Thursday.
No one at the school was injured, but police say one of the suspects – a student – was arrested there.
RELATED: Wisdom High School students safe after nearby officer-involved shooting
John Nsenguwera, 18, is charged with aggravated assault against a police officer, and Mohamed Rasheed Robinson, 17, and Mahamoudou Sylla, 18, are charged with robbery by threats.
The incident began at an apartment complex in the 6400 block of Westheimer Road around 12:25 p.m. Thursday.
FULL PRESS CONFERENCE: HPD Chief discusses officer-involved shooting, Wisdom High School lockdown
Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner gives details after an officer-involved shooting near an apartment complex in the 6400 block of Westheimer Road on Thursday afternoon where one suspect was wounded and police say a second suspect may have run into Wisdom High School.
Police say officers had observed a robbery in progress with one of the suspects shooting at someone at an apartment complex. Officers converged on the suspects, and police say Nsenguwera pointed a gun at an officer.
Police say the officer shot the suspect one time. Paramedics transported Nsenguwera to the hospital. His injuries are said to be non-life-threatening.
Another suspect, Robinson, was arrested at the scene.
Police say the third suspect, Sylla, fled on foot. Witnesses told officials the suspect got a ride from a citizen. The citizen told investigators he thought he was giving a kid a ride back to Wisdom High School at 6529 Beverly Hill, and he was not aware he was involved in anything.
The suspect went inside the Wisdom High School auditorium, where there were at least 100 other students.
"We were able, with our SWAT team and other police officers from all of our agencies, went in and got that suspect out safely with no one hurt," Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said.
Houston ISD Police Chief Pete Lopez on Friday confirmed that the suspect is a student at the high school. He says the suspect had been at school in the morning but apparently left and then came back.
Chief Lopez says, after fleeing the scene at the apartment, the student followed proper visitor management protocol to get back in the school.
Chief Lopez says video shows the student trying to scan in and then waiting outside until campus administration buzzed him in. He says the student then signed-in in the office, talked to a staff member, and went to the auditorium with the rest of his classmates.
He says the student entered the school around 12:34 p.m., and shortly thereafter Houston police called to notify the school that the suspect had possibly gone there. Chief Lopez says the school was then placed on lockdown.
In a message to parents after the incident, the district wrote, "our school was temporarily placed on lockdown after an unauthorized individual trespassed on campus. HISD police were immediately notified, investigated and the suspect was taken into custody."
The district also said that counselors and social emotional support staff would be at the school through Friday.
"We appreciate your patience and support. As always, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority," the district wrote.
HPD said at least two of the three suspects were students at the school.
The officer who discharged his duty weapon at the apartment complex was identified as HPD Officer R. Aguilar. He was sworn in as an officer in April 2016 and is assigned to the Midwest Patrol Division. He was not injured.
The incident is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit, the Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney's Office, which is customary in officer-involved shootings.