HOUSTON — An off-duty deputy constable opened fire on several robbery suspects he saw running from a Valero store on Sunday night, police say.
It happened just before 11 p.m. outside the Valero located in the 4300 block of Gessner in northwest Houston.
Houston police say a deputy with Harris County Precinct 6 was on his way home from work and heading down Clay when he spotted four men in hoods run around the fence at the Valero.
“He did see the clerk throw her hands up and that kind of confirmed to him that there was a robbery in progress,” HPD Asst. Chief Sheryl Victorian said.
As the deputy pulled into the parking lot to investigate, two of the suspects ran past his car back around the fence. When he saw they had weapons, the uniformed deputy pulled out his weapon and identified himself as law enforcement, police say.
That is when one of the armed suspects turned around, and the deputy opened fire. One suspect was shot, but his condition was not known. The deputy was also able to detain a second suspect.
The other two suspects got away in a white Chevrolet Trailblazer where a fifth suspect was waiting, police say.
A few weapons were recovered by the officer, but the suspects were able to get away with cash and cigarettes.
The name of deputy constable has not been released at this time. Police say he has less than one year on the job.
Police said the clerks inside the Valero were not injured in the robbery, and no customers were present at the time.
Police have surveillance video, but the store manager told KHOU 11 News that company higher-ups wouldn't let her show it to us.
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