Houston shooting: Woman interfered during fatal officer-involved shooting

HOUSTON - The investigation is ongoing in an officer-involved shooting where one man was killed in southeast Houston and a woman was arrested for interfering.

On Tuesday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., HPD Officer K. Cummins shot and killed a man while investigating a possible auto theft in the Family Dollar parking lot at 12375 Martin Luther King Boulevard.

According to reports, Officer Cummins was on duty in full uniform in his patrol car when he saw a vehicle in the parking lot at the above address. Cummins determined the car was stolen so he pulled in behind the vehicle and activated his emergency equipment.

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Cummins was said to have walked to the driver's side door and saw a man in the driver's seat. The officer attempted to arrest him, but the man reportedly refused and put the car in reverse, intentionally running into the patrol car. 

Donneka Abraham (Photo courtesy Houston Police Department)

The man got out of the car and initiated a physical altercation with Officer Cummins which resulted in both men on the ground, reports say.

A woman acquaintance of the suspect, now identified as 35-year-old Donneka Abraham, interfered with Cummins' attempt to arrest the man by hovering on top of the officer and grabbing his shirt. Abraham ended up with Cummins' taser and one of his magazines which was knocked away by the male suspect. 

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The woman refused to give back Cummins' equipment when he demanded it, officials say.

Investigators say while they were still struggling, the man knocked off Officer Cummins' radio which stopped him from being able to call for assistance. The suspect was able to get on top of the officer and continued to physically assault him.

Cummins reportedly feared for his safety and shot his duty weapon at least once at the man, striking him.

Houston Fire Department took the man to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

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The identity of the deceased male suspect believed to be in his 40s, is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Officer Cummins suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. Officer Cummins was sworn in as an officer in January 2016 and is assigned to the Gang Division.

Records show Officer Cummins was also involved in another shooting of a suspect in August of 2021 but was never indicted by a grand jury. 

"There is always an immediate assumption that there was some nefarious motive by an officer committing a horrible crime, as opposed to looking at what actually occurred, and to the crime that underlied all of this. The question is whether or not using deadly force is okay in response to physical force," said attorney and legal analyst Charles Adams. "So the officer is going to have to articulate that he was legitimately in fear of his life. But I absolutely think you can in this circumstance."

Authorities believe the suspect had two felony warrants out for his arrest. So far, his identity has not been released.

Abraham was arrested and charged with interfering with public duties.

As is customary in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents in the Houston city limits, this case will be investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit, the Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.