MISSOURI CITY, Texas — A Missouri City police officer was shot at the end of a chase early Saturday morning.
The officer was rushed to the Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center in the back of a patrol unit and was seen being carried into the emergency room by several officers.
Houston police said the officer was shot twice, once in the face and in the foot, but is expected to make a full recovery. She has been identified as Officer Crystal Sepulveda.
“She is a strong officer and she will make it through this,” Missouri City Assistant Police Chief Lance Bothel said.
He added that Officer Sepulveda's family and friends are with her at the hospital. MPD Chief Michael Berezin was out of town when the shooting happened and was on his way back.
Officer Sepulveda, 29, is a three-year veteran of the police force.
What happened
Missouri City police said this started just before 2:30 a.m. when their officers were sent to a report of a stolen vehicle in the 800 block of Buffalo run.
Police spotted the stolen vehicle at Fondren and South Main Street. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said the vehicle was said to be involved in an aggravated robbery in north Harris County on Friday.
Officers began following the vehicle and tried to pull it over, according to Missouri City police. The suspect vehicle refused, and a chase began. The officers called for backup from Houston police.
Missouri City police followed the suspect vehicle all the way to the 15500 block of Corsair where it was involved in a crash, police said. The suspect then ran from the scene between homes.
Missouri City police chased after the suspect who then open fired on the officers, wounding Officer Sepulveda, police said. She was transported to Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center.
Finner said police were able to set up a perimeter and located the suspect. The suspect then opened fired once again on officers who then returned fire.
The suspect was shot and then transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said. No other officers were injured.
The police chief said the suspect had two automatic handguns on him when he was shot. The suspect was shot by a Harris County deputy and a DPS State Trooper.
The Houston Police Department will be leading the investigation into the incident while the Harris County District Attorney’s Office will be conducting an independent investigation.