POLICE Department

Detective Isaac "Ike" Parsons

Detective Isaac “Ike” Parsons

1914

May 24, 1914 @ Barron St. (5th Ward)
Gunfire/ Accidental

DOB – September 29, 1885
Badge –0.00
Final Resting place – Laid to rest May 27, 1914 at Black Evergreen Cemetery, Houston, TX

Isaac Parsons was born in Texas and spent most of his life in the Houston area. He was a barber by trade but he was also employed as a detective for the Houston Police Department. He was highly regarded as the most valued black officer serving on the department. He served in the position of detective under the command of Chief of Police Ben S. Davidson

Detective Parsons was on duty on Saturday May 23, 1914 patrolling the near north side of Houston in an effort to arrest a male suspect who was terrorizing the neighborhood with a rifle.  Chief Davidson had assigned Officer John Richardson to work with Detective Parson. Parsons had called night Chief Dunman to inform him that he would not be able to come to accompany the other officer. He had gone into the area alone in an attempt to apprehend the suspect. Officer Richardson was assigned to work with Officer Edmund Cardona instead.

Neither of the two officers was aware that Deputy Arthur Taylor, from the Sheriff's department, was working in the same area and seeking out the same male suspect. The officers also did not know that Parsons was already in the area looking for the suspect alone.

Officers Richardson and Cordona rode the midnight Liberty Road trolley car out of Houston to the intersection of Nance and Schwartz streets. Upon arrival into the area, they began to talk to the neighborhood people about the male suspect. At approximately 12:35 am, while they were conducting the investigation, they heard gunshots. Officers Richardson and Cordona were aware that another pair of officers (Bryson and Lyons) were also in the area looking for the male suspect. They ran to assist these officers. Deputy Taylor and Parsons hearing the gunshots, ran to the same area. Officer Richardson saw a male running toward him in the darkness. He shined his pocket light on the male and at this time he noticed the male (Deputy Taylor) had a pistol in his hand.   Officer Richardson ordered the make to stop and throw his pistol. After the male refused, Richardson began shooting, striking and killing him. Next, Officer Richardson had dropped his light but he and Cordona saw the other male (Parsons) approaching them with his arms raised and a pistol in his hand. They began to fire, striking him four times and killing him.   Parsons and Tylor did not fire their weapons.

Upon closer observation, Richardson and Cordona recognized Detective Parsons but not Deputy Taylor because of his short tenure as a Deputy Sheriff.

Westheimer Ambulance took the officers bodies to the morgue. Chief Davidsons immediately suspended Officers Richardson and Cordona. They were locked up pending an examination trial. Bond was fixed at $250 by Justice of the Peace, W.T. McDonald. The officers admitted the case was a case of mistaken identity.

Source – Researched by Deputy Doug Hudson, Harris County Sherriff's Department. Houston Post, Houston Chronicle, Houston Public Library