Video: Man shot in head by Conroe police during chase dies

CONROE, Texas – A man has died after he was shot in the head by a Conroe police officer during a chase and shootout with officers Sunday in Montgomery County.

The chase was reported around 9 a.m. after police responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle at Kasmiersky Park, located on the 800 block of Old Magnolia Road.

What started as a traffic stop turned into an officer-involved shooting when Greg Kocian, 33, who was driving a Chevy Cavalier, refused to stop and led police on a high-speed chase, officials said.

PHOTOS: Mugshots of Gregory Kocian 

The chase continued onto I-45, then South Loop 336, before ending on Sgt. Ed Holcomb Boulevard.

Police said Kocian held a gun out of the car and fired several shots at officers.

“The vehicle slowed down,” said Conroe Police Chief Philip Dupuis. “As the officer was getting close to the vehicle, the driver stuck a handgun out of the vehicle and fired two rounds at the officer who was pursuing the vehicle."

Kocian sped away another time, police said, firing another round at the officer, officials said.

Police said the short chase ended when an officer fired shots back and struck Kocian in the head. 

“He discharged his weapon, striking (Kocian),” Dupuis said. 

No officers were injured.

VIDEO: Conroe police release dashcam video of chase, officer-involved shooting

“Everybody from the Conroe Police Department is in good shape. Nobody was injured,” Dupuis said. 

Kocian was taken to Conroe Regional Medical Center, where he later died.

Police said the passenger in the Chevy was taken into custody for questioning.

“(Kocian) does have a previous history that is lengthy,” Dupuis said, alluding to a criminal record that spans over a decade.

READ: Man accused of torturing, sexually abusing woman for 6 hours, police say

In fact, KPRC2 reported a sexual assault case involving Kocian. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested Kocian in March 2017 after he allegedly attacked a 44-year-old woman at her home in Conroe. 

The woman told police Kocian brutally tortured and sexually assaulted her for several hours. He was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault. Bond was set at $1 million in that case.

Court records confirm the charge was dismissed in May. The records do not detail why.

The Conroe police dashcam video as well as witness statements are among the pieces of evidence the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing.

The DA’s public integrity division is investigating whether the officer’s use of deadly force was justified.

The findings will eventually be presented to a grand jury.

“We know that of course there is high stakes for the officers that are involved in these incidents. There are also high stakes for the opponents and their families and loved ones, so these cases are really important to the community,” Tiana Sanford, chief prosecutor of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division, said.


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