HPD: Off-duty officer shoots at car theft suspects

HOUSTON – An off-duty Houston Police officer shot at men he said were breaking into his car Friday evening, according to officials with the Houston Police Department.

At around 4:30 p.m. Friday, the off-duty officer, who was in plain clothes and was driving his personal vehicle, was at a building in the 5900 block of Westheimer Road. When he exited the business, he noticed the front passenger window of his car had been smashed in and three men were attempting to break into his vehicle, Houston Police Assistant Chief Wendy Baimbridge said during a briefing.

The men, who were in a black Dodge Durango SUV, had parked next to his vehicle.

The officer approached the men, brandished a gun and advised them to get away from his car, Baimbridge said.

A man inside the car replied, “Not if we shoot you first,” Baimbridge said.

The officer observed that the man sitting in the front passenger seat had a weapon.

“At that point, they started coming up, driving up toward the officer,” she said. “He felt threatened and he shot more than one round -- we think maybe two or three.”

The officer said he does not believe he hit any of the suspects.

The suspects, described as Black males, left the scene driving eastbound on Westheimer Road. No additional suspect information was provided.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.