HOUSTON – An officer-involved shooting overnight stemmed from a suspected road rage incident an officer witnessed on the Katy Freeway, according to the Houston Police Department.
Around midnight, the off-duty officer was driving home after his shift had ended. As he was driving outbound on I-10, east of Fry Road, he witnessed a suspected road rage incident occur. One vehicle began firing on a black sedan. Following the shooting, the black sedan exited the freeway while the suspect vehicle continued westbound on I-10, police said.
The officer followed the suspect vehicle in an effort to obtain identifying information. Someone in the suspect vehicle began firing at the officer and the officer returned gunfire. The officer fired several rounds, said Heather Morris, Assistant Chief of HPD’s Criminal Investigation’s Command.
HPD Chief @hpd_morris Briefing on Officer Involved Shooting at 21900 Katy Freeway https://t.co/j3nHy09H3x
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) December 20, 2020
The officer called 911 on his cellphone, provided a description of the suspect vehicle and exited the freeway at Mason Road.
Using the suspect information provided by the off-duty officer, units soon after located a suspect vehicle and detained its occupants.
Investigators do not believe anyone was struck by gunfire in the incident.
The officer’s vehicle, the suspect vehicle and several other vehicles were struck by gunfire during the incident.
Authorities are still searching for the black, four-door sedan and its occupants.
Though the department has not named the officer involved in the incident, they say he is a six-year veteran of the force assigned to the department’s North Division.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or sustained vehicle damage in the incident is urged to contact the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division at (713) 308-3600.