BAYTOWN, Texas — A suspect was wounded when he exchanged gunfire with police and deputies at the end of a lengthy pursuit east of Houston, Baytown police said.
Harris County Sheriff’s Deputies said they first tried to stop the suspect for speeding on I-10 and Uvalde around 9 p.m. Wednesday. The suspect, a 25-year-old male, allegedly refused to stop and continued westbound until he got on 610.
The suspect led deputies around the 610 Loop back to I-10 again, where the suspect then went eastbound.
Baytown police said just before 10 p.m. they were able to use spike strips to successfully bring the suspect’s vehicle to a stop in the mainlanes of I-10 at Garth, but then the driver allegedly opened fire on officers and deputies.
Three Harris County deputies and one Baytown officer then opened fire on the suspect, who was shot in his lower extremities. The suspect was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive.
No deputies or police were hurt, but at least one patrol vehicle was struck by the gunfire, police said.
Police found a gun inside the suspect's vehicle. His name has not yet been released.
“Once released from the hospital the suspect could be facing multiple felony charges, including Felony Evading in a Motor Vehicle and Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant,” stated a press release from Baytown PD.
The Baytown officer involved in the incident is a 10-year veteran of the Baytown Police Department, while the deputies involved are 12-year, 6-year and 2-year veterans of the Harris County Sheriff’s Department.
“The Baytown Police Department will be conducting a detailed investigation into the incident, working in conjunction with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Both, the Baytown Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Department’s Internal Affairs Divisions will also be conducting internal reviews of the incident for their respective officers, which is customary in incidents such as these.”
The freeway's eastbound lanes were closed for about three hours following the chase and shooting. The lanes have since reopened.
---
Great news if you watch TV with an antenna
KHOU has just upgraded its technology. If you were unable to receive KHOU with your antenna in the past, try again on channel 11.11. You may have to rescan your channels for it to work – if that’s the case, we’ve got some instructions at KHOU.com/antenna. If you already see KHOU on 11.1, you may now ALSO see it on 11.11 – it’s the exact same programming. We’re really excited to be able to bring our KHOU 11 News, CBS shows and sports, Wheel of Fortune, Ellen and Great Day Houston to more homes around the area. If you’re still having trouble, please contact us here and we’ll try to get you set up.