Houston officer-involved shooting on Beltway 8: Body-camera video released
Body camera of May 22 officer-involved shooting
The Houston Police Department has released the body-camera video of an officer-involved shooting at 9475 W Sam Houston Pkwy South Service Road on May 22. The shooting occurred after officers attempted to seize a vehicle involved in a brief pursuit days before.
HOUSTON - The Houston Police Department has released body camera video from the May 22 officer-involved shooting in which the suspect, Robert Johnson, was charged with multiple felony offenses.
Authorities report the 30-year-old faces aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated robbery, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession with intent to deliver marijuana charges. He is also charged with misdemeanor evading arrest on foot.
The shooting occurred around 7:20 a.m. at 9475 West Sam Houston Parkway South. HPD officers from the Traffic Enforcement Division's Highway Interdiction Unit identified a vehicle involved in a high-speed pursuit a few days earlier and located it at an apartment complex.
BACKGROUND: Houston officer-involved shooting on Lansdale Drive
The earlier pursuit ended due to public safety concerns and officers obtained a warrant to seize the vehicle.
In the body camera video, officers are hard telling Johnson, the driver, that his vehicle was being seized. Johnson can be seen getting his 5-year-old daughter out of the car before walking to the passenger's side of the vehicle.
HPD officers say he began reaching around the center console area, ignoring officers' commands to stop.
According to HPD, Sergeant M. Ham, armed with his duty weapon, got himself behind Johnson, who was still reaching into the front passenger side of the car. In the video, Johnson is seen abruptly turning around, rushing towards Sgt. Ham and knocking him to the ground. During the struggle, Ham’s weapon discharged, but no one was struck.
Officer Gonzalez was positioned on the driver's side of the car and heard the gunshot. Officials say Gonzalez believed Sgt. Ham had been shot, and she fired her weapon at Johnson at least once, but he was not hit and ran from the scene.
Johnson allegedly robbed a woman at gunpoint while evading officers and was eventually located and apprehended.
Sergeant Ham and Officer Gonzalez, who have been with the department since April 2008 and December 2001 respectively, were not injured in the incident.
This case is under investigation by the HPD Special Investigations Unit and the Internal Affairs Division, following standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.