Houston police officer shot responding to home invasion: Two arrested, one detained
HOUSTON - The Houston Police Department (HPD) has detained the third person believed to be involved in a police shooting in the 7100 block of Alderney Drive in Spring Branch.
HPD says Officer S. Durfee, who has served for nine years, was shot and taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in stable condition.
Durfee has been released and is expected to make a full recovery.
Two men believed to be between 20 and 25-years-old, were arrested at the scene, and authorities were searching for a possible third person involved. Police found a gun at the scene, and the man arrested for the shooting was also carrying a firearm.
HPD reported a third person was detained after being found by police in the 5800 block of Hollister Road.
FOX 26 spoke with a neighbor who said the suspects being detained, and the whole situation, was a big shock.
"Holy smokes, what is going on? What are we doing? The city is once again. You see the crime and look out your kitchen window and see three police officers with guns drawn and telling you not to move will scare the hell out of you," says Bruce Thomas, a neighbor in Spring Branch.
Officer S. Durfee
Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz says the incident began when two men knocked on the door of a home and forced their way inside when the homeowner opened it. A neighbor saw what was happening and called for help. Officers arrived within minutes. Once inside, they found a woman and a child under 5-years-old in the living room.
"He was screaming at 911 to get officers over here. Apparently, officers showed up, went inside, he heard them say ‘get down, get down,’ then he heard several gunshots and the suspects fled," Thomas added.
One of the suspects opened fire, hitting Officer Durfee, before running out of the house. The officer's colleague arrested the shooter outside, while the second suspect was taken into custody inside the home.
"I extend my deepest gratitude to our brave first responders, who put their lives on the line daily to keep our community safe," Mayor John Whitmire said. "Their dedication and sacrifice do not go unnoticed."