HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A man was wounded during an officer-involved shooting as members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force were serving a warrant, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Members of the task force approached the front door of the home around 6 a.m., knocked and announced themselves, the sheriff’s office said. When no one answered, they knocked down the door.
Investigators said the wanted man had a gun so a Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy and a U.S. marshal shot him. The man, whose name hasn't been released, was taken to the hospital in critical condition, according to Gonzalez.
There were six other people, including women and children, inside the home during the shooting but no one else was hurt.
No law enforcement officers were injured, either.
The task force was serving a warrant involving drug felony charges at the home on Black Walnut Drive in the Cloverleaf area in far east Harris County.
“We do take this very seriously. We do have an accountability process where we have the Harris County District Attorney's Office investigate,” Major Saul Saurez, HCSO’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, said. “Our internal affairs division, but also we're doing a thorough investigation with our crime scene unit and also our homicide unit.”
What is the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force?
The Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force is a task force that's made up of local, state, and federal agents and local police officers. Their mission is to go after the most violent offenders.
U.S. Marshal Thomas Michael O'Connor said the suspect fired at the task force members who breached the home. One of the bullets was found in their shield.
“This enables us to have a force multiplier to go after the worst of the worst in the region and in the Houston area,” O'Connor said. “Unfortunately, this subject decided that he was gonna fire upon our entry team, to which they are fine.”