HOUSTON – Editor’s note: The body camera footage attached to this article contains graphic scenes from an officer-involved shooting, including visible injuries, blood and strong language. Viewer discretion is advised.
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Newly released body camera footage from the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office shows the dramatic moments a deputy was shot and wounded during a gunfight with an armed suspect at a Humble-area apartment complex last week.
The videos, released Tuesday by Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman, capture the chaotic exchange of gunfire that left two deputies injured after authorities say they were ambushed while responding to reports of a man firing a shotgun.
The shooting happened shortly after 10 p.m. on June 19 at the Pavilion at the Groves apartment complex in the 15900 block of Woodland Hills Drive.
According to Precinct 4, multiple callers reported a man walking through the complex with a shotgun and firing it.
When deputies arrived and located the suspect, authorities said he opened fire on them, striking two deputies.
Following the shooting, investigators said the suspect barricaded himself inside an apartment, prompting a lengthy standoff.
SWAT teams eventually breached the residence, used technology to locate the suspect and deployed CS gas before he surrendered.
Authorities identified the suspect as Edgar Villegas, 38. He remains charged with aggravated assault on a public servant.
What Happens in the Videos
One of the newly released videos shows several deputies positioned outside an apartment building near a stairwell with their weapons drawn and flashlights illuminated.
Moments later, two gunshots ring out, followed by deputies shouting, “Shots fired!” before a barrage of additional gunfire erupts.
A second body camera video, recorded from the perspective of injured Deputy Dante Zepeda, captures the moments leading up to the shooting.
In the footage, deputies can be seen standing in an apartment breezeway while discussing the suspect’s location.
“Is he at the window?” Zepeda asks.
“He’s just in there at this time,” another deputy responds.
Seconds later, shots ring out.
After the first shot is fired, Zepeda appears to fall forward before quickly getting back to his feet and retreating. Blood can be seen on the pavement as he moves away from the line of fire.
The deputy then turns back toward the direction of the shots with his handgun drawn and appears to return fire before seeking cover.
As he reaches an area outside the building, blood is visible on his hands and arms.
“I’m hit!” Zepeda says in the footage.
“Where are you hit?” another deputy asks.
“My wrist, my wrist, my wrist, my wrist. Stop the bleeding, stop the bleeding, stop the bleeding,” Zepeda responds.
The video shows another deputy applying a pressure bandage to the wound while rendering aid.
Officers Injured
Officials later determined that Zepeda and a second deputy were struck by shotgun pellets or projectiles during the exchange.
Officials later said Zepeda was also struck in the hip and upper arm, though in the immediate aftermath of the shooting he can be heard telling fellow deputies he had been hit in the wrist.
He was initially transported by patrol vehicle to Houston Northeast Hospital before being transferred to Memorial Hermann’s surgical trauma center in downtown Houston.
Authorities said his injuries were not life-threatening, and the agency announced over the weekend that he had been released from the hospital following successful surgery.
The second injured deputy remained on the perimeter until SWAT teams arrived and was later treated and released, according to officials.
In social media posts accompanying the footage, Herman said deputies had worked to evacuate residents before the confrontation to keep civilians out of harm’s way.
“The attached videos show the dangerous, split-second decisions law enforcement officers face while protecting our community,” Herman wrote. “This incident is a powerful reminder of the bravery and sacrifices made by the men and women who put on the badge every day.”
No residents or bystanders were injured during the incident.