Machete-wielding man shot, killed by deputy at Omnibus terminal in SE Houston

Houston – A man with a machete was shot and killed by a deputy at the Omnibus terminal in southeast Houston, according to authorities.

It happened Tuesday morning when a Harris County Precinct 6 deputy constable was called to the 3200 block of Telephone Road and was confronted by the man.

"The suspect went inside the bus terminal wanted to buy a bus ticket was unable to get a bus ticket. He was told by one of the employees that bus he wanted to get on was leaving. He became upset," said HPD spokesman Victor Senties.

Senties said the man threatened Deputy Constable Cat Bezano with the machete and demanded the keys to her patrol car. He then tried to get into the patrol car by busting out the window with the butt of the machete. He was unsuccessful.

Bezano was able to call for backup as multiple Precinct 6 deputies and HPD officers arrived on scene.

"The suspect used the machete stabbing gas tanks of several vehicles and attempted to light them on fire with a lighter in his hand," Senties said.

Officers tried to calm the man down by telling him to drop the machete in English and in Spanish but officials said that didn't work.

Officers tried to stun the man but the Tazer didn't work either, and that's when things turned violent.

The suspect then charged at the HPD officer, hitting the officer at least two or three times with the butt of the machete, Senties said. That officer turned out to be OK only suffering a few bruises.

Lt. J.D. Rosenthal, a Precinct 6 deputy since last March and a 30-year law enforcement veteran opened fire. The suspect was hit multiple times and died, officials said. That was Rosenthal's first officer involved shooting.

"Oh my gosh I was scared, my knees started shaking and I just was like oh my God," said Roxanne Herrera, a woman waiting at the bus stop with her family, who witnessed the whole thing.

"I mean it's only common sense that they are going to protect themselves because they were in fear for their lives too," Herrera said.

Other witnesses didn't feel the same way Herrera did, saying they wished officers had used nonlethal force.

The Houston Police Department sent out a statement saying:

"Constable Heliodoro “Henry” Martinez would like to commend his officers for demonstrating quick and professional action during this tense situation, which saved an HPD officer’s life.  His department will be cooperating with HPD Homicide and the District Attorney’s Office."