HOUSTON, TX – A woman jumped from a second-story balcony to escape a relative firing a gun inside an apartment on Harbor Town Drive, prompting a SWAT response and an officer-involved shooting where police returned fire.
The incident occurred around 8 p.m. Thursday at an apartment complex in the 6500 block of Harbor Town Drive in the Sharpstown area. According to Houston Police, officers arrived and found a woman on the ground outside the apartment. She told police she had jumped from the balcony to escape a male relative who was firing a gun inside the unit, where others were also present.
When officers went upstairs and knocked on the apartment door, the suspect began shooting at them. Officers returned fire and took cover. The woman was moved to safety, and SWAT was called to the scene.
While waiting for SWAT, officers rescued two additional females from the apartment by helping them climb down from the second-floor balcony using a ladder. Once SWAT arrived, they were able to talk to the suspect, and he eventually surrendered.
The suspect, a 17-year-old male, had an injury to his hand. Investigators are still working to determine whether the injury was self-inflicted. The woman who jumped was transported to the hospital with a minor injury. The other two females were not hurt.
The Houston Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, Internal Affairs, and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the incident. The involved officer is a nine-year veteran of the department.
No charges have been announced at this time.
You can watch the full briefing from HPD below:
