HOUSTON — The Houston Police Department on Tuesday released bodycam video of a deadly shooting inside a southwest Houston mall last month.
San Jacinto Precinct 1 constable deputy Neil Adams, 62, was shot to death by 35-year-old Czyz Deonte Harrison, who was also shot and killed, according to HPD.
KHOU 11 News has chosen not to show the videos in their entirety. The bodycam videos were released as part of a new department policy to release bodycam video from officer-involved shootings within 30 days of incidents in which there is a death or injury involved.
What happened
At about 4 p.m. on Feb. 23, HPD investigators said Adams and Harrison got into a fight at the PlazAmericas mall at 7500 Bellaire Boulevard. During the fight, witnesses said, Harrison took Adams' gun and shot the deputy constable.
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When HPD officers entered the mall, they found Harrison coming from the second floor. Investigators said he was holding a knife at the time and officers took cover and told him to surrender, but he refused to comply.
Authorities said Harrison charged the officers and two officers fired shots at him. Harrison was hit, fell to the ground and then got up and tried to run away. The officers then deployed their Tasers, which caused Harrison to fall to the ground. According to HPD, Harrison continued to resist but was eventually taken into custody.
Both Adams and Harrison were taken to area hospitals where they were pronounced dead.
HPD said the two officers who fired their weapons, T. Salameh and M. Nasser, are assigned to the Midwest Patrol Division. Salameh was sworn in as an officer in May 2020 and Nasser in February 2020.
What the videos show
HPD released bodycam videos from seven officers who entered the mall.
In officer Nasser's body cam video, you can see him entering the mall and running toward where he was told Adams was shot.
When he gets to the store where Adams was shot, a mall customer points out Harrison, who was coming downstairs.
Nasser can be heard telling Harrison to "drop the knife" and show his hands.
When Harrison continues to charge toward Nasser, the officer fired several shots and Harrison drops to the ground.
After a few seconds, Harrison gets to his knees and then to his feet and starts to walk away. Another officer deploys his Taser and Harrison falls to the ground again. He's then taken into custody.
In the bodycam video from Salameh, you can see the officer enter the mall and start running toward Harrison. He's heard telling him to "get on the ground" and then to "drop the knife" just before firing several shots, striking Harrison.
What we know about Adams
Adams was working an extra job at the mall.
San Jacinto County Precinct 1 Constable Roy Rogers described Adams as a man who took care of his family and others in the county.
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“We lost one of our heroes," Rogers said after the incident. "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) Adams' family.”
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.
"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," Adams' wife said. "And everybody's turned their back on them, and everybody should pray for all of them because they're here for you."