Construction worker killed at Montrose highrise carjacking was a husband, father to teenage son
HOUSTON - What started as an overnight carjacking, left a construction worker dead, and another man hospitalized after being stabbed. The suspect was then shot by Houston police and taken into custody.
It happened at the Hanover at Autry Park, a luxury high-rise apartment building near Montrose.
Family members have identified the construction worker as 67-year-old Carrl Hayes.
"It’s a shock. My sister is in shock. That’s her best friend. That’s her husband. They were growing old together, enjoying life and this happened," said Oren Johnson, Hayes' brother-in-law.
Around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, Houston police say Hayes was working construction near the Hanover at Autry Park Apartments when he was carjacked by a suspect armed with a knife, then run over, and killed.
Investigators said the suspect then crashed into the luxury high rise twice with the car. The suspect apparently chased a concierge employee around before stabbing another employee in the back, who was trying to help. Police said the concierge employee managed to lock himself in a room and was unharmed.
The employee who was stabbed is expected to survive.
"He destroyed a lot of lives when he did that. I don’t know his rhyme, I don’t know his reason," said Johnson.
Johnson says his sister, Onnita, is now completely distraught without her husband of three years, and their 16-year-old son Jeremiah, left without a father.
"You enjoy life. And to get up and go to work, and then you don’t come home. She’s distraught because her dream became her nightmare, overnight. All their plans as far as them being together and growing old together, it’s going in the ground," said Johnson.
HPD Chief Troy Finner said the suspect tried to charge at responding officers with a knife and was shot by two officers.
Moments later, Finner said the suspect got up and was still trying to run away. Finner said that’s when officers tazed him and took him into custody.
"This is a beautiful complex out here. This is an isolated incident. I had a chance to visit with the general manager. This building is about 30% occupied. Citizens that live here, there’s no additional threat to this particular community," Finner said.
Finner said the two HPD officers who shot at the suspect will be placed on administrative leave for an internal review of the incident.
Police have not identified the suspect or given a motive in this case.