HOUSTON – After exchanging gunfire with a suspect in north Houston, an officer's life was saved by a bulletproof vest, police say.
The shooting happened at around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 11900 block of Aldine Bender at Airline. HPD says two officers responded to a report of a suspicious man with a gun, and encountered a man matching the description.
Police say two officers tried to detain the man, but an altercation ensued and the man opened fire. The officer returned fire several times.
Officer John Calhoun and the suspect were hit.
Calhoun was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, and the suspect was taken to Northwest Medical Center.
Calhoun was shot in the left side, but was wearing his bullet-proof vest, which stopped the bullet.
"His life was saved by his ballistic Kevlar," said HPD Chief Charles McClelland. "He's certainly going to be sore, but no rib fractures, no bullet fractures."
Calhoun was bruised and was complaining of soreness, but is said to be in good condition. It's unknown when he'll be released.
McClelland said the suspect, a Hispanic male, is dead.
The 28-year-old Calhoun is a six-year veteran of HPD and assigned to the North Division. McClelland says his parents both work in law enforcement.
The investigation is still ongoing.