A suspect has been slapped with charges after an altercation with an officer led to gunfire in Houston. Thirty-year-old Kevin Lyn Mitchell now faces serious time for aggravated assault of a public servant and attempting to snatch a cop's gun. The confrontation unfolded Sunday afternoon at a vacant lot on Brewster Street, confirming to a press release from the Houston Police Department.
In a scenario that spiraled out of control, Houston Police Officer D. Reinhold, fresh on the force since July 2022, was patrolling when he spotted Mitchell allegedly hightailing it with goods from a nearby robbery. Despite Reinhold's commands to stop, Mitchell kept sprinting until the officer caught up and a violent struggle erupted, trying Reinhold to defend himself with fatal force. According to the press release, Mitchell punched, bit, and even wielded tree branches against the officer.
The situation escalated when Mitchell reportedly attempted to disarm Officer Reinhold, grabbing his duty weapon. A tussle ensued and the suspect broke free, only for the officer to catch up again. As Mitchell allegedly tried to take Reinhold's taser, the officer was left with no choice but to discharge his weapon, hitting Mitchell, who remains hospitalized but stable.
Reinhold, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries from the scrap, was also treated at a local hospital. Fearing for his life, the officer had to make a split-second decision, the Houston Police recounted, eventually resulting in apprehending and neutralizing the threat. HPD's Special Investigations Unit, along with the Harris County District Attorney's Office, is dissecting the case, as standard procedure dictates for all officer-involved shootings within Houston city limits.
