HOUSTON – A man who police said stabbed a woman was shot by a police officer in southwest Houston.
Around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Houston police said officers were responding to an assault in progress call in the 8800 block of Bellfort near Gessner when a witness flagged them down to report seeing a stabbing.
The officers noticed a man, identified by police as 34-year-old Dhafir Rasheed, in a white car holding a woman by the neck. Investigators said he was stabbing her with some type of object.
"The officers immediately, at that time, yelled verbal commands to the male to release the woman," said John Cannon with the Houston Police Department. "The only thing he did at that time was he dropped the woman."
Police said the woman was bleeding and fell to the pavement. Cannon said it's what happened next that led to the shooting.
"He now has the car in reverse, with her head and body directly underneath the vehicle," said Cannon.
Police said Rasheed continued to refuse verbal commands, so one of the officers opened fire, shooting the suspect at least once.
According to Houston police, the officer's actions likely saved the woman's life.
"It's our officer's belief, and a number of witnesses gathered around in the parking lot, that had that officer not discharged his weapon and struck the suspect, he would have run her over and probably killed the woman," said Cannon.
Cannon said the officer, G. Potter, is a three-year veteran of the police force. He was not hurt in the incident. Potter is assigned to the South Gessner Patrol Division.
Investigators said Rasheed was taken to the hospital in an unknown condition. The woman was rushed to the hospital where doctors said she's expected to survive her injuries.
The names of the victim was not immediately released.