August 26, 2020 - Houston police are investigating the fatal shooting of an armed male suspect by an HPD officer at 1400 Hyde Park Boulevard about 5:20 a.m. today (Aug. 26) after the male fired shots at officers.

The male, Julius Kehyei, 29, was pronounced deceased at Memorial Hermann Hospital.

The officer who discharged his duty weapon, K. Drey, was not injured.  Officer Drey was sworn in as an officer in March 1998 and is assigned to the Tactical Operations Division.

HPD Special Investigations Unit Sergeant R. Bass and Officers L. Lopez, S. Martinez, J. Hartnett and M. Millington reported:

About 3:30 a.m., several persons in a black Chevrolet Tahoe were travelling northbound on Waugh Boulevard when they observed a burglary of a motor vehicle in-progress.  The occupants of the Chevrolet confronted the suspect (Kehyei) as he was rummaging through a vehicle he had burglarized.  During the confrontation, Kehyei produced a handgun and gunshots were exchanged between the two parties before Kehyei fled the scene.

Officers with the Central Patrol Division responded to a suspicious person with a weapon call, as well as reports of shots fired in the area.  Upon arrival, officers met with the occupants of the Chevrolet Tahoe who provided a description of the suspect.  Additional responding officers located Keheyi a short distance away and pursued him as he fled on foot.  As officers approached the 2500 block of Van Buren Street, Kehyei fired multiple shots at them, striking the side of their patrol vehicle.  Responding officers were able to surround Kehyei as he climbed a fence of the property at 1327 Hyde Park and remained armed with a handgun.

SWAT team members arrived at the scene while attempts were made to negotiate the suspect's surrender.  During the negotiations, Kehyei threatened officers before raising his handgun in their direction.  One SWAT officer discharged his weapon, striking Kehyei one time.  SWAT team personnel provided first aid to the suspect before he was transported to the hospital.

As is customary in officer-involved shooting incidents involving an HPD officer, the case is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit, the Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.