HOUSTON — Houston police say a man believed to be a robbery suspect was shot by officers Monday morning in North Harris County.
It happened in the 800 block of Oak West Drive, between I-45 and the Hardy Toll Road.
According to an HPD tweet, officers from the department's Crime Suppression Unit were trying to arrest the man around 10:45 a.m. Police Chief Troy Finner said he had a felony warrant for aggravated robbery.
The suspect was sitting in a vehicle outside of a home when officers came to arrest him. Finner said the man started shooting at them before they could get out of their vehicles. Four officers fired back and the suspect was hit.
The chief confirmed that he has died. No officer was hurt.
He also said that a criminal investigation has started on the shooting. Since it happened in Harris County, the Harris County Sheriff's Office will handle the investigation. According to Finner, HPD's Internal Affairs department will be involved.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office will also run a joint investigation.
The officers that were involved are now on administrative leave.
"We don't know what's going on in these times, don't know what's going on in people's heads," said Chief Finner. "We have to pray for everybody involved, our officers. Nobody wants to show up at work and get involved in a shooting."
Out of respect for the suspect's family, police will not release his name.
"Everybody, even suspects when they do something wrong and something just so terribly wrong like this, they still have family members," Finner said. "And I've spent probably half an hour talking to grandmother, uncle, mom. I just ask that we pray for them."
The police chief said the officers involved were wearing bodycams at the time. The footage will be reviewed and released to the public in the next 30 days.