Police in Houston, Texas, said three officers were shot on Thursday afternoon and taken to the hospital, and that the suspect is currently barricaded in a house.
“3 HPD officers have been shot in the 2100 block of McGowen St.,” the Houston Police Department wrote on Twitter Thursday.
“The suspect fled the scene in a white Mercedes and is being sought at this time. Please avoid the area,” the department added.
3 HPD officers have been shot in the 2100 block of McGowen St.
The suspect fled the scene in a white Mercedes and is being sought at this time. Please avoid the area.
HPD commanders & PIO are en route to Memorial Hermann Hospital where officers are being taken.#hounews pic.twitter.com/I0e2dQD2kB
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) January 27, 2022
The department later announced that all three officers injured were in stable condition and taken to the city’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. According to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, one of the officers was shot in the foot, one was shot in leg, one was shot in the arm.
Delivering an update about the shooting around 7 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said that in the afternoon, officers arrived at a residence, and the suspect spotted the officers and “took off in a vehicle.”
Officers followed the suspect, and eventually the suspect crashed. When officers got out of their vehicle, the suspect “immediately fired upon the officers,” striking three of them.
The officers returned fire, but Finner said it’s unknown if the suspect was hit. The suspect then “carjacked” a white Mercedes-Benz at gunpoint, and other officers followed him to a home and surrounded the property.
The suspect fired multiple times, but didn’t strike any officers. “Officers returned fire. Again, we don’t know if that suspect is injured. He’s still in the home. We treat it as a barricaded suspect.”
“The last update I received a few minutes ago—he’s still in the home. We’re trying to negotiate to get him out,” Finner stated.
Writing on Twitter Thursday, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said he and his wife Heidi are “praying for the 3 officers shot in Houston this afternoon.”
“May God’s healing hand be upon them, and His Grace be upon their families,” he said.
“We are in close contact with local officials & we will continue to actively monitor the situation,” he added.
Heidi & I are praying for the 3 officers shot in Houston this afternoon. May God’s healing hand be upon them, and His Grace be upon their families. We are in close contact with local officials & we will continue to actively monitor the situation. 1/x https://t.co/NwwqidsMqa
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 27, 2022
According to Houston news station KPRC, Turner released a statement about the officers who were shot on Thursday: “My thoughts and prayers go out to them, and I will be at the hospital soon to check on their recovery, thank them for their service and speak to their families,” Turner said.
“I ask everyone to pray for the officers who were shot and for every law enforcement officer working on the streets of Houston. We live in dangerous times, and it will take all of us working together to make our city safe,” he added.
Alex Bierens de Haan
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo also addressed the incident on Thursday.
“I am saddened and absolutely outraged over this latest attack on our police. Gun violence is out of control and weapons of war have NO place on our streets. I’m in touch with Mayor Turner and he has our full support for anything he or HPD needs,” Hidalgo stated.
I am saddened and absolutely outraged over this latest attack on our police. Gun violence is out of control and weapons of war have NO place on our streets. I’m in touch with Mayor Turner and he has our full support for anything he or HPD needs. https://t.co/8FravG5tP8
— Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) January 27, 2022
The incident on Thursday marks the second time law enforcement officials have been shot in Houston in recent days. Oscar Rosales, 51, was captured in Mexico this week, and accused of shooting and killing Harris County Pct. 5 Constable Corporal Charles Galloway on Sunday.
Rosales was arrested on Wednesday, and has been charged with capital murder.
The Houston Police Department could not be reached for comment or further details about the investigation, or the status of the suspect on Thursday evening.
