HARRIS COUNTY – A small Harris County community was torn apart after a neighbor shot and killed another neighbor.
Wednesday night at a Taylor Lake Village City Council meeting, Lakeview Police Chief Tom Savage addressed a barrage of questions from residents regarding the investigation.
Many of those questions focused on a detective's decision not to test the shooter's blood alcohol level.
"In a DWI, a person's intoxication is critical... in a homicide it is not, it doesn't alter any of the culpability," Savage said.
Minutes later, an exchange between the shooting victim's mother and the police chief drew more ire from residents who believe police officers were insensitive and in dereliction of duty by failing to notify Brandon Smith's family of his death in a timely manner, given he died a block from his own home.
Savage did surprise many of the dozens of residents in attendance near the end of the question and answer session.
He told the audience he believed the shooter would be indicted, and indicated he would be in favor of that decision.
Chief Savage said it could be two to four months before the case is forwarded to the district attorney's office for review.
Many residents want an outside agency to review and reinvestigate the circumstances of the shooting, reiterating the family's contention that Smith was not killed in self-defense.
Local 2 has not identified the shooter, a local doctor, because he has not been charged with a crime.