‘Abhorrent, disgusting, and entirely unacceptable’: Ashley Gonzalez fired from HPD following racist social media rant

HOUSTON – The Houston Police Department has terminated Officer Ashley Gonzalez, saying she is no longer employed by the department as of today.

In a statement released Friday, HPD said it “holds every officer to the highest standards of integrity and conduct, and will not waver in upholding these expectations.”

• PREVIOUS REPORT: Suspended HPD officer still on paid leave after racist Instagram video; meeting set with Houston Police Chief

The department said Gonzalez was immediately relieved of duty after the incident was discovered and that an investigation was conducted “as fast as legally possible” in compliance with state civil service laws.

“The behavior exhibited by Ashley Gonzalez was abhorrent, disgusting, and entirely unacceptable,” Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. said in the statement. “It is deeply disturbing and has no place in law enforcement or in our community.”

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Gonzalez was suspended after an Instagram video surfaced appearing to show her using racist slurs, as KPRC 2 News previously reported. She had remained on paid leave while Internal Affairs investigated, with a meeting scheduled between Gonzalez and Diaz to determine whether she would remain relieved of duty or be terminated.