BAYTOWN, Texas - Baytown police say a five-year-veteran of the department shot into a suspect's car after the driver dragged him nearly 40 feet.
It happened just after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Rosemont at Baytown apartment complex on Garth Road.
According to the Baytown Police Department, the suspect's 29-year-old estranged wife reportedly walked into a nearby clinic and told an off-duty officer that she didn't have a phone, but that her husband was trespassing inside her apartment.
"He was inside the apartment actively destroying it," said Lt. Eric Freed with Baytown PD.
Freed says officers realized the woman's husband was wanted on a felony drug warrant, so two officers then went back to the complex where they spotted him sitting in a parked car.
"An officer was at the driver's side of the car and was trying to remove him from the car," said Lt. Freed.
Freed says the suspect closed the door on both of the officer's hands, initially trapping the officer's left hand inside the car from the palm up as well as the fingertips of the gloves on his right hand.
"The man put the vehicle in reverse, backed up aggressively, dragging the officer with him. As the officer was being drug, he was fearful - un-holstered his weapon and fired at the suspect."
Police say the suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Anthony Chapman, was shot multiple times. He was alert and conscious when they took him to the hospital.
The injured officer was later released from the hospital after undergoing several tests. Baytown PD said they were initially concerned about the officer's vertebrae, but a CAT scan came out negative. The officer's identity has not been released.
Chapman was said to be undergoing surgery late Wednesday morning. He's expected to face charges of Aggravated Assault of a Police Officer.
Police also tell KHOU 11 News it's not their first time coming face to face with Chapman.
"We've taken 3 reports of harassment," said Lt. Freed. "Him harassing her through communication, also threatening her life."
Neighbors are just grateful the story didn't have a different ending.
"The bullets pass through the wall, so I'm scared watching my family. That's it - everything is okay, everything is good," one neighbor told KHOU 11 News.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office is investigating the case alongside Baytown PD.
