HOUSTON — A San Jacinto Pct. 1 deputy constable was shot and killed Wednesday while working an extra job inside a Houston shopping mall. The man who shot him was also killed.
The deputy constable has been identified as 62-year-old Neil Adams.
A law enforcement source has identified the suspect as 35-year-old Czyz Deonte Harrison.
According to HPD Chief Troy Finner, at around 4 p.m., there was some type of altercation at the PlazAmericas Mall, formerly Sharpstown Mall, between Deputy Adams and the suspect, whose identity hasn't been released.
What we know
- Deputy constable Neil Adams was working an extra job at the mall
- Adams got into some sort of physical altercation with the suspect
- The suspect got a hold of Adams' gun and shot him
- The suspect ran to the food court and was confronted by HPD officers
- The suspect had a knife and charged at the officers who shot him
- The suspect died at the hospital
- This is an ongoing investigation
During the struggle, Finner says the suspect was able to get Deputy Adams' gun and shoot him. Houston police responded and saw a crowd of people running out of the mall. They then confronted the suspect in the food court.
Houston police said the suspect had a knife and refused to listen to officers' commands. The suspect allegedly charged at officers and that's when two of them shot the suspect.
Police said the suspect got up and attempted to run, causing officers to use a Taser to get him to stop. The suspect fell to the ground and continued to resist, but officers were eventually able to place him into custody.
Both Adams and the suspect were taken to hospitals where they were pronounced dead.
During a news conference Wednesday night, San Jacinto County Precinct 1 Constable Roy Rogers described Deputy Adams as a man who took care of his family and others in the county and asked for prayers.
“We lost one of our heroes," said Constable Rogers. "He was a good man. He worked hard. He took care of his family. He took care of the constituents of his county. Please pray for Deputy Constable (Neil) Adam’s family.”
Constable Rogers said Adams went through the police academy in 2012 and worked as the environmental constable for San Jacinto County.
Adam's wife described her husband as a sheepdog who lived to protect.
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"My husband always said you can either be a sheep or a sheepdog, and I want everybody to pray for all the sheepdogs out there that are protecting everybody," Adam's wife said. "And everybody's turned their back on them, and everybody should pray for all of them because they're here for you."
The two HPD officers who discharged their weapons have been identified as T. Salameh and M. Nasser. They are both assigned to the Midwest Patrol Division. Officer Salameh was sworn in as an officer in May 2020 and Officer Nasser in February 2020.
Neither officer was injured but both have been placed on administrative duty, which is standard procedure.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office is conducting an investigation with HPD, which is the lead agency.
Below is video of the shooting captured by a witness inside the mall: