Mother killed, 3 deputies shot in Midtown nightclub parking lot; suspect charged

HOUSTON - One woman is dead and three Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies are recovering following an early Sunday morning shooting in the parking lot of a Midtown Houston nightclub.

The Houston Police Department said Joseph Anthony Gonzalez, 25, is charged with three counts of aggravated assault against a public servant and with being a felon in possession of a weapon.

According to court documents, the suspect is accused of injuring three deputies and fatally shooting his mother. The court documents state that authorities are still completing their investigation of the mother’s death.

Dramatic video posted to Instagram shows Sunday morning’s deadly shootout. A group of people can be seen fighting before several gunshots are fired.

"We just heard gunshots," said an anonymous witness. [We’re] just blessed to be alive."

Authorities said the shooting occurred around 2:20 a.m. at Set Nightclub, located on the 2900 block of Travis Street. 

According to HPD, three deputies were working an extra job at the nightclub when they were directed outside to the parking lot where a disturbance was taking place. 

Upon going to investigate, authorities say the deputies heard numerous gunshots and were confronted by a suspect armed with a handgun.

Police say the suspect opened fire and shot all three deputies. One deputy simultaneously fired back at the suspect, striking him, according to police.

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Authorities say the suspect then ran to a red Ford pickup truck and fled the scene. 

A woman who was struck in the leg was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.

Two of the deputies were taken to Memorial Hermann while the other deputy was taken to Ben Taub Hospital. 

Authorities said one of the deputies, who is a woman in her 30s, was struck in the abdomen. A male deputy in his 40s was struck in the foot while the other male deputy, who is in his 30s, was struck multiple times and was also shot in the hand. The sheriff's office says one of the deputies was released from the hospital Sunday night and the other two remain hospitalized.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said one deputy has been with the sheriff’s office for about five years, while the other two deputies had about 11 years of service. We’re told that all deputies are expected to survive. 

Around 3:45 a.m., a man, later identified as Gonzalez, drove himself to a Sugar Land hospital. Police say the man and the truck he was driving matched the suspect and vehicle descriptions on the shooting scene.

Gonzalez was eventually transferred to a Houston hospital and subsequently charged. Police say he remains hospitalized. 

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The case is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit and the Harris County District Attorney's Office as is customary in officer-involved shooting incidents in the city limits

Anyone with additional information is urged to contact the HPD Special Investigations Unit at 713-308-3600.