HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A 28-year-old woman was shot several times by two deputies who were looking into a burglary call at an apartment complex in east Harris County early Saturday morning, according to the sheriff's office. Harris County Sheriff's Office Assistant Chief Tommy Diaz said the woman was not suspected in the burglary case and was not trespassing.
This happened shortly after 2 a.m. on Uvalde Road near Wallisville Road.
The assistant chief said another woman in the apartment was unharmed. The two women were the unit's lease holder and a guest.
"They were permitted to be in that apartment," Diaz said.
He said deputies were about to leave after responding to a robbery in progress call at a different unit when someone flagged them down and reported there was another burglary at the apartment where the shooting happened.
The deputies went to check out the unit, which was on the second floor. According to the sheriff's office, they saw damage to a window near the front door and said the glass was broken and the blinds were raised.
When the deputies knocked on the apartment's door and announced themselves, through a window they saw a woman approach the door with a firearm, according to Diaz. That's when he said the deputies opened fire, hitting the woman several times.
The deputies retreated and called for backup. When more deputies arrived, they called for the people in the apartment to come out. Medical treatment was provided to the woman at the scene before she was taken to an area hospital for treatment. Diaz said she was in stable condition. Investigators did recover a gun at the scene.
No other injuries were reported.
Investigators later found out the two women broke into their own window to get inside the apartment because they didn't have a key.
"Folks have a right to have a weapon in their home," he said. "If you do get a knock on the door at, you know, early in the morning, this was at 2:06 a.m., there's probably some level of concern as to who's knocking. The deputies did announce themselves."
The two deputies involved in this incident have been placed on administrative leave based on normal HCSO protocols.
The case is being investigated by HCSO's Homicide Division, Internal Affairs, and the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Diaz said it will go before a grand jury. The two deputies will be placed on administrative leave as an investigation takes place.
Watch the update Diaz gave at the scene: