HOUSTON — Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo released more details Tuesday about what happened during Monday's drug raid and shootout that left five officers injured and two suspects dead.
Here's what we've learned so far:
- A woman called 911 on January 8 saying her daughter was doing heroin at the house at 7815 Harding Street.
- HPD launched an investigation and set up a buy with an informant the night before the shootout. He bought heroin and told undercover officers he saw more baggies of heroin and a gun inside the house, according to HPD.
- A team of undercover HPD officers arrived at the house in the 7800 block of Harding just before 5 p.m. Monday to serve a narcotics warrant.
- Acevedo said they announced themselves as police at the same time the team leader rammed the door, allowing officers to enter the small house.
- Patrol units sent for backup also turned on their lights and sirens.
- The chief said a “very large pit bull” charged the first officer who entered the house so he shot and killed the dog.
- A male suspect, later identified as 59-year-old Dennis Tuttle, came from the back of the house and opened fire with a .357 Magnum revolver. He shot the first officer in the shoulder.
- That officer went down and fell on a couch.
- A female suspect, identified as 58-year-old Rhogena Nicholas, reached over the injured officer and tried to grab his shotgun, according to Acevedo.
- Other officers opened fire on Nicholas, who was killed.
- A shootout involving Tuttle and police continued.
- Other officers rushed inside to pull the injured cops out of the crossfire.
- When it was over, four officers were shot and wounded and Tuttle and Nicholas were dead.
- A fifth officer suffered a serious knee injury during the raid.
- All five officers were rushed by Life Flight or ambulance to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Two remain in critical condition, two are in good condition and one was treated and released Monday night.
- Police found marijuana and a white powdery substance – possibly cocaine or fentanyl – inside the house. They also recovered three shotguns and two rifles.
