An inmate at the Harris County Jail is now facing additional charges after officers found a loaded gun concealed within the cushions of his wheelchair. Based on information from Click2Houston, 53-year-old Tyrone Kennedy, behind bars since October 23 for a felony parole violation, was discovered with the weapon following an anonymous tip to authorities.
Kennedy, who has previously been convicted of murder in 1988, and was sentenced to 50 years, was held in a general population cell at the time of the incident. Although details regarding his parole history, are scarce, public records indicate his first parole violation occurred in 2013, FOX 26 Houston reports.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office is presently coordinating with jail investigators to bring forth a new felony charge against the incarcerated individual. This event raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of safety protocols within the jail system and has sparked an internal review of the policies and procedures that allowed for such a breach of security to occur.
Officials have initiated a comprehensive internal investigation in light of the incident, the result of which may prompt revisions of the jail's regulatory framework to prevent future occurrences. "Investigators are working with the Harris County District Attorney's Office to file a new felony charge against Kennedy," as stated by the Harris County Sheriff's Office, reported by Click2Houston.
