HOUSTON — The off-duty Houston police officer accused of shooting his wife in her face is currently being held on a $125,000 bond at the Harris County jail.
A court appearance revealed troubling new details surrounding their marriage and what led up to the apparent domestic violence shooting.
Court documents state that Galib Waheed Chowdhury, 31, told investigators he shot his wife on accident after she got in the way of him shooting at an intruder who broke into their apartment at The Westerly in west Houston.
Detectives said Chowdhury's story didn't add up after they found no damage to the apartment and discovered demeaning text messages that were sent to his wife just before the shooting. To make matters worse, court records revealed Chowdhury's wife didn't want to cooperate with his fellow officers.
"The officers attempted to gather the complainant's statement before going into surgery. However, she was not willing to provide a statement when she heard the officers are with Houston Police Department."
In court, it was revealed that Chowdhury's wife suffered injuries to her right eyeball, a cheekbone fracture, as well as multiple bone fractures to her right hand and fingers.
An AR-15-style rifle was recovered from the apartment during HPD's investigation. Chowdhury was immediately relieved of his duties and is expected back in court on Wednesday.
Mental health resources
According to HPD officials, the department has a peer assistance program and also offers free mental health and other support to officers and their families. That’s in addition to what the Houston Police Officer’s Union provides.
"We have specially trained retirees that do a phenomenal job with our officers that are dealing with stress or any kind of mental issue or breakdown or substance abuse, whatever it may be," HPOU President Douglas Griffith said.
Griffith said it appears that no one reached out in this case and since it happened while Chowdhury was off-duty, the union will not provide legal assistance.
"Obviously, something led to this situation and it’s truly sickening and sad," Griffith said.
Resources for victims of domestic or family violence
Domestic and family violence cases in the Houston area have increased at an alarming rate. Victims often suffer in silence because they feel scared, helpless or ashamed.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, here are some discreet ways to reach out for help.
The Houston Area Women’s Center has a 24-hour hotline for victims of domestic violence at 713-528-2121 or 1-800-256-0551.
The HAWC safety planning website is a good resource for survivors. Click here for more information. Also, HAWC recently released a position paper to outline plans to address violence in the Houston area. Click here for more information on that.
The City of Houston has this resource page.
The Family Time Crisis Center can also be reached 24 hours a day at 281-446-2615.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Crisis Text Line: Text START to 88788.