HCSO detention officer shot during attempted car burglary

Officer hit multiple times; search for suspects on-going

HOUSTON – A Harris County Sheriff's Department detention officer was shot multiple times Sunday night during an attempted car burglary in north Harris County.

Harris County deputies rushed to the Rock Creek at Hollow Apartment Homes around midnight.

"Investigators received a call about a burglary in progress at 11:50 p.m. The detention officer heard commotion outside of his apartment and he went to investigate and saw four men breaking into a vehicle. He did not have time to return fire," a deputy at the scene said.

Deputies said the four crooks were breaking into a Chevy Avalanche. When the detention officer confronted them, he was shot several times. According to deputies, he was in good spirits before he was rushed to the emergency room in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries.

"My family heard the gunshots," said Devon Bartlett, who lives close to the attempted break-in. "My son was scared so he ran into the other room. As a father, it worries me because one of those bullets could have come into my window."

Other residents say they have heard of break-ins at the complex, but nothing this violent.

Deputies interviewed witnesses and collected evidence for hours. They believe the suspects fled the scene in a burnt orange Dodge Ram truck.