Former Houston police officer sentenced for shooting wife in her face, records show
HOUSTON - A former Houston police officer has been sentenced for shooting his wife in her face in 2023, court records show.
Former Houston officer sentenced
Galib Waheed Chowdhury (Photo courtesy of Houston PD)
What we know:
Galib Chowdhury was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday, according to records from the Harris County District Clerk's Office.
The former HPD officer was found guilty of aggravated assault on a family member, causing serious bodily injury with a deadly weapon.
June 2023 shooting
New details show conflicting reports after Houston PD accused of shooting wife in face
*NOTE: This video was uploaded in June 2023.* Initially, Galib Chowdhury, 31, claimed he accidentally shot his wife during an alleged break-in. Police on the scene later determined there were no signs of a break-in and believed the shooting was intentional. However, court authorities revealed Chowdhury's wife also claimed it was accidental.
The backstory:
The shooting was reported at a west Houston apartment complex shortly after midnight on June 12, 2023.
Initially, Chowdhury was the one who called 911 and reported that someone was breaking into the apartment and his wife got in the way of him shooting at that person.
Officers responded to the scene and found the 30-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to the face and hand, HPD says. She was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery.
Chowdhury's wife reportedly suffered injuries to her right eyeball, a cheekbone fracture, and several bone fractures to her right hand and fingers.
FOX 26 spoke with the woman's father around the time of the shooting. He said his daughter was recovering.
She allegedly told medical staff that the shooting was an accident.
Police on the scene later determined there were no signs of a break-in and believed the shooting was intentional.
Chowdury, an HPD officer of two years, was relieved of duty immediately after the shooting, according to officials at that time. Authorities said Chowdhury almost killed his wife.
Court authorities said surveillance video from the apartment showed Chowdhury arriving home about 40 minutes before his wife around midnight Monday.
Records show Chowdhury then sent her several aggressive text messages before the shooting.
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If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can reach out to the Houston Area Women's Center at (713) 528-2121 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
The Source: Previous FOX 26 reports and court records from the Harris County District Clerk's Office.