Incident at 1800 El Paseo and 3816 Bellaire Boulevard August 21, 2007 - A suspect who shot at uniformed police officers from the West University and Southside Place Police Departments was fatally shot by officers at 3816 Bellaire Boulevard about 5:20 p.m. on Monday (Aug. 20). The identity of the deceased suspect has not been released pending verification by the Harris County Medical Examiner's office and notification to family members. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he died. The identity of the deceased female victim, who sustained multiple gunshots wounds, has not been released pending verification by the Harris County Medical Examiner's office and notification to family members. She was pronounced dead on the scene at 3816 Bellaire Boulevard. West University Chief of Police Ken Walker and Southside Place Chief Lonnie Bernhart said Officer Alex Gomez, a one-year veteran of the West University Police Department, and Officer Stephen Mulligan, a 23-year veteran of the Southside Place Police Department, discharged their service weapons as the suspect fired upon them. HPD Homicide Division Sergeant J.H. Roberts and Officer L.K. Lovelace report: At approximately 5:10 p.m. on Monday, the suspect, who is the estranged husband of the victim, ambushed the victim as she returned to her vehicle in the 1800 block of El Paseo. The suspect shot her multiple times, put her into his vehicle and fled. Minutes later, the suspect arrived and entered the St. Mark's Episcopal Church and school at 3816 Bellaire Boulevard armed with multiple weapons and instructed witnesses to call police. Responding officers from West University and Southside Place were met by gunfire from the suspect. Officers returned fire, striking the suspect several times. The female victim was then located inside the suspect's car at the church. At the request of the agencies involved, the HPD Homicide Division will lead the investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident. As is customary with officer-involved shootings, each agency's Internal Investigations Units and the Harris County District Attorney's office are investigating the incident. NJM/BDW/JFC For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200. |