Incident at 6000 T.C. Jester

October 19, 2007 - A suspect who threatened a uniformed Houston police officer was fatally shot by that officer at 6000 T. C. Jester about 1:10 p.m. on Thursday (Oct. 18).

The suspect, identified as Raymond Melvin Smith Jr. (b/m, DOB 12-4-77), sustained two gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officer Brian Bueno, who discharged his Conducted Energy Device (CED) and his service revolver, was sworn in as an HPD officer in December of 2002. Officer Kent Winebrenner, who deployed his CED, was sworn in as an HPD officer in September of 1983. Both officers, who are assigned to the North Patrol Division, were uninjured.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant J.T. Wyers and Officer C. Scales report:

Officer Bueno was conducting a routine traffic stop in the 6000 block of T.C. Jester when the suspect, Raymond Smith Jr., drove up and parked next to Officer Bueno's patrol vehicle. Smith exited his vehicle, leaving it in a moving lane of traffic, and confronted Officer Bueno. For an unknown reason, Smith began screaming and cursing at the officer as he removed all of his clothing in the middle of the street. Officer Bueno repeatedly gave verbal commands to the nude suspect, which he ignored. The officer requested assistance via his police radio. As the suspect continued to display violent behavior, Officer Bueno discharged his CED, which did deploy and strike Smith.
The suspect continued to be violent and ran into a nearby wooded area. After failed attempts to gain compliance, which included verbal commands and a CED deployment, the suspect charged at Officer Bueno and chased him back onto the roadway. Officer Bueno, fearing serious injury, discharged his service revolver striking the charging suspect. Smith momentarily fell to the ground; however, he got up, ran down the street, jumped into the officer's patrol vehicle and attempted to drive away. Back-up officers, including Officer Winebrenner, began to arrive and helped pull Smith from the patrol vehicle. Smith continued to struggle and after failed attempts to subdue him, Officer Winebrenner discharged his CED unsuccessfully. Smith then ran back into the wooded area where he collapsed and died.

As is customary with HPD officer-involved shootings in the city limits, the HPD Homicide and Internal Affairs Divisions and the Harris County District Attorney's office are investigating the incident.

NJM/BDW/SJ/JGA
Inc # 153198907

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.