HOUSTON – A Texas deputy shot and killed a carjacking suspect who was reportedly beating a police K9 with a pistol after a foot chase Monday.
The dead man, who was not identified, was one of several males reported to have attacked and shot at a man before stealing his vehicle around 11 p.m. in Harris County, according to KPRC-TV, citing the sheriff’s office. The man whose car was stolen wasn’t seriously injured, officials said.
A deputy, who was in the area with a K9, spotted a vehicle matching the description of the stolen car just after midnight, FOX26 Houston reported, and engaged the men inside in a foot chase when the four suspected carjackers bolted from the vehicle.
1-Officer Involved Shooting: @HCSOTexas units responded to a carjacking call at 14101 South Pacific, where victim was shot at. A vehicle description was put out and a deputy located the possible suspects. Suspects ran on foot & Deputy gave chase around 14887 Woodford. #HouNews pic.twitter.com/QZl45REWpW
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) July 29, 2019
The K9 was the first to catch up to one of the men, who began to hit the police service dog (PSD) with a pistol. The deputy ordered the man to stop but he continued beating the animal, police said.
“[He] began striking the K9 with a pistol, brandishing the weapon at that point,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told KPRC-TV. “We don’t know if there was gunfire exchanged, but our deputy did fire at least a shot striking the individual and he was pronounced deceased.”
2-at some point during foot pursuit, shots are fired. K9 deputy discharged his weapon at a male & the male has been pronounced deceased at scene. A pistol was found. K9 Officer is ok. Three other males fled; one has been detained & two others are at large. A 2nd pistol found.
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) July 29, 2019
Police believed the suspect was in his late teens or early 20s, the station reported.
The sheriff’s office said they recovered a pistol at the scene and were also able to detain a second man. Two others remain at large.
The PSD escaped relatively uninjured in the encounter.
(Feature image: File photo courtesy Lower Merion Township Police)
