Suspect Fatally Shot at 8500 Broadway

June 5, 2008 - A narcotics suspect who got into a physical altercation with Houston police officers and injured an officer when he grabbed the officer’s conducted energy device (CED-Taser) was fatally shot about 6 a.m. on Wednesday (June 4).

The suspect, identified as Tarrance Alvin Brown (b/m, DOB: 12-21-77), of Houston, suffered at least one gunshot wound to the back and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The officer who discharged his duty weapon, Officer Shane Nash, was not injured. A second officer, Hans Wagner Jr., who deployed his CED, was treated for a hand injury at the scene. Both officers are assigned to the Southeast Patrol Division. Officer Nash was sworn in as an officer in January 2007 and Officer Wagner in December 2002.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeants P. Motard, E. Lorenzana and Senior Police Officer C. Abbondandolo reported:

Officers working an anti-crime initiative saw the suspect engaged in a drug deal and approached him and asked him to stop. The suspect sped away on a bicycle to an apartment complex at 8501 Broadway with officers pursuing on foot. Once officers caught up with him, the suspect refused their verbal commands as they tried to detain him. While struggling with the officers, the suspect continuously reached into his shorts in an attempt to remove something. When officers were unable to control the suspect, Officer Wagner deployed his CED. The suspect grabbed the CED, injuring Officer Wagner’s hand. The suspect got up from the ground, reached into his shorts and stated, “You’re going to have to kill me.” The suspect turned from the officers and began walking away, continuing to refuse any verbal commands and continuing to reach into the waist area of his shorts. As the suspect began to pull his hand out of his shorts, Officer Nash fired his weapon two times at the suspect.

The suspect ran from the apartments across the street to another apartment complex where officers pursued him, but lost sight of him. He then ran to the Crescent City apartments and attempted to gain access through an exterior pedestrian doorway. He started banging on the door with an unknown metal object and asking for help. A tenant at the apartments saw the suspect on the ground and two unknown men approach him and go through his pockets. Both men fled before officers found the suspect and called for paramedics.

Investigators in the Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived and while searching the suspect, they found several small bags containing what appeared to be narcotics. No weapon was located on the suspect at that time.

As is customary, the incident is being investigated by the HPD Homicide and Internal Affairs Divisions and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

Anyone with additional information in this incident is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.

JFC/VHS
Inc #081947208

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

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