Responding to a call of a distraught man attempting suicide, Houston police showed up and shot him to death in an incident captured on witness video.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo told local media the 27-year-old man was shot after he “charged” at the officers with a knife but the video shows him either on his knees or squatting. There is no visible knife but the video was shot from a distance and it’s not the best quality so he may very well had a knife.
Acevedo also said the incident was captured on body camera but it’s been nearly a week and he has yet to release the video. The incident took place Tuesday after police received a call about a man threatening to commit suicide.
According to Click2Houston:
HPD Chief Art Acevedo said there were reports of the man trying to jump in front of vehicles. Acevedo said the first unit arrived around 8:57 p.m. and checked the area. He said more reports came in about the man running around the neighborhood, jumping fences and threatening residents with some type of metal weapon.
Police said residents were able to flag the responding officers to the man’s whereabouts around 9:15 p.m. Acevedo said an officer spotted the suspect and reported that the man was armed with a possible knife. Police said about two minutes later, the officer alerted that shots had been fired after the suspect refused to comply.
Acevedo said preliminary information revealed the man was stabbing himself, trying to stab at the officer and refused to comply with orders. Acevedo said the officer discharged his weapon when the man began coming toward him with the knife. Officials said the suspect was still not complying and a responding HPD officer and a Harris County Precinct 6 Constable’s deputy deployed their tasers, which were ineffective when the suspect pulled the tasers out.
Police said other officers fired bean bags, which was also ineffective.
Acevedo said when the suspect tried to charge at the officers again, officers discharged additional rounds, striking the man. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man’s name has not been released but his mother told police he had recently been released from jail and was having emotional issues.
