Incident at 2610 Hardy

May 21, 2007 - Houston police are asking for the public’s help in identifying two robbery suspects wanted in an aggravated assault of a police officer incident at 2610 Hardy Road about 1:30 a.m. today (May 21).

The wanted suspects are described only as two Hispanic males, 18 to 20 years of age.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeants O. Belmarez and K. Rivera reported:

Officer F. Cardona, an 11-year veteran assigned to the Human Resources Division, was working an extra job at 1711 Line when he was informed about an armed robbery at a nearby parking lot at 2610 Hardy Road. The officer took a covered position behind a building and observed the two suspects holding two females and a male at gunpoint. Officer Cardona ordered the armed suspect to drop his weapon. When the suspect turned around and pointed his weapon at the officer and refused another command to drop his weapon, the officer discharged his duty firearm at the suspect. The suspect continued to point his weapon at Officer Cardona as he was walking toward his vehicle, and the officer discharged his weapon once again at the suspect. The suspect dropped his weapon as he and the second suspect got into the vehicle, and both males fled in the vehicle northbound on Hardy Road.

After securing the scene, Officer Cardona saw that the weapon dropped by the suspect appeared to be a toy gun made as a replica of a Glock handgun.

The victims of the robbery left the scene prior to speaking to police. Investigators ask those victims and anyone with information on the suspects to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

As is customary in officer-involved shootings in the city limits, this case is being investigated by the HPD Homicide and Internal Affairs Divisions and the Harris County District Attorney’s office.

JGA/JFC 5-21-07

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