HOUSTON — A man who was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with deputies in north Harris County Sunday claimed to be a “sovereign citizen” when he was initially pulled over, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, the phrase “sovereign citizen” is an extremist movement that is once again gaining popularity in the U.S.
“The sovereign citizen movement is a large antigovernment extremist movement whose adherents believe the government is the illegitimate product of conspiracy that subverted the original lawful government,” Mark Toubin with the Anti-Defamation League said. "That's a really dangerous kind of world view. If you think you are justified in shooting at a police officer who stopped you, there's the potential for a lot of violence. And we're seeing it more and more.”
Sunday’s incident turned into a chase that ended in an exchange of gunfire between the man claiming to be a sovereign citizen and deputies.
The sheriff said when he was pulled over for expired tags and a busted taillight, deputies discovered he had a possible open felony warrant out of Brazoria County.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, sovereign citizens believe that they can ignore laws, regulations, court orders, and taxes because they have divorced themselves from what they claim is an illegitimate, tyrannical government.
Gonzalez said that the incident is a reminder that sovereign defiance is capable of turning violent.
“Some individuals believe they are not subject to government or law enforcement authority. Our deputies were doing their job, keeping our community safe. The male was lawfully stopped. Our deputies are not required to allow anyone to violate the laws,” the sheriff said on X.
As of Monday morning, the name of the suspect involved has not been released.