PD: Man holds 3 hostage during standoff
Police: suspect had history of domestic violence
Man holds 3 hostage during standoff
A man fired several shots at Baytown police officers and a SWAT team after a standoff Sunday morning, Baytown police said.
Police said Amel Garza, 20, was in a fight with his girlfriend over him coming home late. Officials said Garza began to assault her and when officers arrived at the home on Cypress and Cedar Streets, he fired a shot at the officers.
Officers called for backup and went into a standoff with Garza, who they said was holding three people hostage. He eventually let the hostages go, police said, but stayed in the house.
Authorities said they tried to communicate with Garza but he would not respond. They tried using a throw-phone, a device used to communicate with someone during a standoff. Police said the suspect instead shot at the throw-phone and shot at the SWAT van, hitting a window.
The officers and suspect fired shots at each other and the suspect was eventually hit. He was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital with a gunshot wound in the stomach.
Investigators said Garza has a history of domestic violence and his girlfriend had been repeatedly harmed by the suspect.
Police and Internal Affairs are investigating the incident.
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