HOUSTON – There have been five officer-involved shootings in the city of Houston in under a month with the latest one on Saturday morning.
The Houston Police Department has come under fire recently from advocacy groups calling for transparency on how the officer-involved shootings are being handled.
Here’s a timeline and breakdown of the cases:
April 21
Houston police responded to the 600 block of Gazin Street to reports of a man possibly trying to commit suicide. When officers arrived at the scene, it took a few minutes to locate the man, later identified as 27-year-old Nicolas Chavez. The Harris County Precinct 6 Constable’s Office assisted HPD officers in the response.
HPD said Chavez refused to comply with orders and tried to stab himself. HPD officers and Harris County deputies deployed tasers and bean bags — both of which were ineffective. Acevedo said Chavez continued to not comply with commands and an HPD officer fired his gun at him. He was killed.
Chavez’s mother told police her son just recently got out of jail and was dealing with emotional issues, Acevedo said.
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