Big Springs, Texas – A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper was wounded, and one suspect was killed early Monday after a traffic stop attempt escalated into a pursuit and a gunfire exchange near the Westover Hills Apartments area, authorities said. The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation with assistance from local agencies.
DPS said the incident unfolded around 12:40 a.m. in the 500 block of Westover Road, where a trooper attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation. According to DPS, the driver did not stop, and the trooper conducted a precision immobilization technique, also described as a PIT maneuver, to end the pursuit.
Investigators said the vehicle drove into the bushes, and two suspects ran from the scene on foot. During the foot pursuit, one suspect opened fire, striking the trooper. DPS said the trooper returned fire, killing the suspect who shot him.
DPS said the trooper was transported to a hospital in the Lubbock area and was listed in stable condition. Authorities have not released the trooper’s identity, and they have also not publicly identified the deceased suspect.
The Texas Rangers are investigating the officer-involved shooting, working alongside the Big Spring Police Department and the Howard County Sheriff’s Office.
Field Lessons are offered strictly as general, industry-standard reminders drawn from common safety practices and typical policy considerations. They are not based on any inside knowledge of this specific incident, do not presume what actions were taken, and should not be interpreted as commentary on the decisions made at the scene.
-
Treat failure to yield as a potential escalation cue and start building distance, cover options, and a plan before the stop reaches the crisis point.
-
During any foot pursuit, prioritize angles and cover over speed, and assume a suspect may be armed until proven otherwise.
-
Fleeing remains a sentinel behavior cue in our research, with 20% of all violence against law enforcement occurring.
- Sentinel Cues prior to violence during a foot pursuit include concealing hands (to the front of the body), right arm tight to the body as the suspect is running, and target glancing / fixation.
Dr. Travis Yates has pioneered a behavioral risk framework to help officers and leaders identify, assess, and articulate risk in rapidly evolving, uncertain situations. Find out more about the FOCUS Behavioral Risk Framework.
