Roderick Brooks: Family holds vigil 1-year after he was shot, killed by Harris County sergeant

Family holds vigil for Roderick Brooks

The Harris County District Attorney says the case for Roderick Brooks who was killed by a Harris County deputy will go before a grand jury. The family held a candlelight vigil to mark one year since he was shot and killed by Sergeant Garrett Hardin.

HOUSTON - It's been one year since the death of Houston man Roderick Brooks who was shot and killed by a Harris County Sheriff's sergeant in 2022. His family held a candle-lit vigil for him Saturday evening for the anniversary.

"One year, no answers. No answers. We want the truth. We got the ending, we just want to know how did it come to this," says Demetria Brooks-Glaze, Brooks younger sister.

On July 8, 2022, Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the intersection of FM 1960 and Kuykendal around 6:30 p.m.

BACKGROUND: Man who 'took control' of Harris Co. deputy sergeant's taser shot, killed: HCSO

Sergeant Jason Brown with Homicide Division said a caller stated a male, later identified as Brooks, was attempting to shoplift from a Dollar General store and pushed a manager while exiting the store, leaving with some items.

Sergeant Garret Hardin, an HCSO veteran, spotted Brooks and attempted to stop him. The suspect, however, took off on foot, according to Brown.

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Body cam video which was later released, showed Sgt. Hardin chasing after Brooks telling him to, "Come here, dude! Come here!" In the video, you can see Brooks running from Hardin through the parking lot of a gas station.

Hardin later caught up with Brooks and told him to "Stop, dude. I'm gonna taze you. Stop! Get on the ground!" Brooks tried to run further from Hardin, and that's when Hardin fired his taser at Brooks.

In the video, the sergeant takes Brooks to the ground. Brooks can be heard asking Hardin, "Why are you tazing me?"

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Still photo showing HCSO Sergeant chasing Brooks down in a gas station parking lot.

Brooks is heard asking Hardin, "Please get off me, man?" and is seen attempting to get off the ground. That's when a struggle began between the two men over Sgt. Hardin's tazer.

At some point, Hardin shot Brooks in the back during the scuffle and then called for help, including an ambulance.

Brooks was pronounced dead on the scene.

"There's no words for this. Killing? This killing is unjust and it's gonna get proven," Brooks-Glaze says.

Sgt. Hardin has worked with the department for 20 years and a majority of that time has been with patrol. He has been placed on administrative leave as the investigation continues.

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The case will be turned over to a grand jury to determine if charges will be filed against Sgt. Hardin.

"We're glad that finally, the case will be going to the grand jury. We know that it's been over a year, but there's been some hiccups," said the attorney for the family, Sadiyah Karriem.

Karriem tells us the defense side has an expert witness on the use of force.

"At a certain point in time, we have to understand if we want justice if we want order, then there has to be justice no matter who was involved in it," said Dr. Abdul Haleem Muhammad. "We want peace officers who do justice."