Update: Carjacking suspect who was shot after leading officers on vehicle, foot chase has died, HPD says

HOUSTON – The 24-year-old carjacking suspect who was shot by officers during a vehicle and foot chase has died, the Houston Police Department announced Wednesday.

Marcelo Alfredo Suarez was pronounced dead on Sunday, March 6.

On Feb. 27, Suarez was shot by police after they said he carjacked a 19-year-old driver and led officers on a high-speed chase through northeast Houston.

HPD Chief Troy Finner said the incident started shortly before 8 a.m. when the 19-year-old, who was driving a tan-colored Chevrolet Tahoe, left his vehicle running while he dropped off trash at a bin on the Southwest Freeway and Hillcroft Street.

In a split second, the teen saw Suarez getting inside the vehicle. The teen initially jumped into the back seat, but hopped back out after Suarez pulled out a handgun, police said.

Suarez took off, and officers spotted the Chevrolet Tahoe at a restaurant at Eastex Freeway and Little York Road, and a short pursuit began.

Suarez drove southbound on the feeder road then lost control of the vehicle and crashed at a median in the 7800 block of Tidwell. He then began fleeing on foot.

Officers and a K9 police dog followed Suarez, and Finner said he pulled out a gun and fired towards them.

Three HPD officers fired back, striking Suarez several times.

Suarez was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital where he later died.

One officer sustained a minor injury, but the two other officers and the K9 were not injured.

The K-9 involved in the shooting was Officer Nate, who has recently returned to the job after being stabbed by another suspect in January.

Finner said this is the ninth officer-involved shooting in the city this year.

The three officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

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About the Author:

A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Ana moved to H-Town from sunny southern California in 2015. In 2020, she joined the KPRC 2 digital team as an intern. Ana is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, a catmom of 3, and an aquarium enthusiast. In her spare time, she's an avid video gamer and loves to travel.