HOUSTON — A Houston Police Department sergeant was shot multiple times in southwest Houston early Saturday by a suspect accused of multiple burglaries, the department said.
The sergeant, who has been identified as Mauricio Valle, 38, is expected to recover from his injuries. He was sworn into the department in April 2007 and is assigned to the Midwest Patrol Division.
"Sgt. Valle is alert and talking," the department posted on X. "He was scheduled to have surgery today and doctors tell us he is expected to make a full recovery despite suffering multiple wounds."
The suspect, who was 23 years old, was killed after the sergeant returned fire.
What happened
The shootout happened shortly after 1 a.m. on Harwin Drive near the Westpark Tollway and Southwest Freeway.
Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner said the sergeant and two other officers were looking for the suspect when they saw him parked at a hotel, scoping out nearby businesses.
KHOU 11 obtained surveillance video showing the sergeant driving his vehicle into an alley behind a strip center in the 7000 block of Harwin Drive. At some point, the suspect approached the sergeant's patrol car from the passenger side window and opened fire in what Finner called an "ambush-style attack." The sergeant was hit multiple times in the arms and legs, and once in his ballistic vest, but was able to return fire, shooting the suspect multiple times.
Chief Finner says the sergeant was calm throughout the situation.
"Officers who responded and rendered aid put tourniquets on our sergeant, and each and every one of them was talking about how calm and professional and what a stud our sergeant is," Finner said.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene and the sergeant was taken to an area hospital for treatment. On the way, Chief Finner said the sergeant was asking about a keepsake.
"When he was in the ambulance, our sergeant has this necklace, this gold necklace he wears all the time, he was concerned about the necklace," Chief Finner said.
Chief Finner said the suspect was involved in multiple burglaries and possibly an aggravated assault where he allegedly shot someone. The suspect was identified as a man in his early 20s. A woman accused of casing businesses with the suspect was detained as part of the investigation.