The Houston Police Department is currently under scrutiny following the release of dashcam and body camera footage, which captured the tragic moment 41-year-old Desire Pool was struck and killed by an HPD SUV. The incident, which occurred on September 19 just before 10 p.m. on Antoine Drive near Pinemont Drive, was made public yesterday, leading to outcry from the victim's family. KHOU reported that Pool was crossing the street with her son and daughter when the collision happened.
According to ABC13, Pool had just exited a bus and was not using a crosswalk at the time. The officers in the vehicle, including Officer Shelby Kennedy, were transporting a suspect when they hit Pool – an event her 18-year-old son Jalen Gary remembers vividly, lamenting the added pain of the videos being released without the family's prior knowledge. "It's the lowest thing you can do. It's like putting salt in a wound," Pool's uncle, Lee Gordon, added, expressing his distress at the timing of the release the day before Thanksgiving. Witnesses at the scene reported that Pool seemed to have dropped something and was hit as she bent down to pick it up.
The videos show the immediate aftermath of the crash, including Officer Kennedy confirming "CPR in progress" while fellow Officer Joshua Rosales performed the life-saving procedure. Despite their efforts, Pool was pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital, leaving her family in mourning. "She did stuff for us all our life. She got us anything we wanted even though it was the last dollar in her pocket," Gary told KHOU.
While HPD has stated that they do not believe speed was a factor in the crash and the officers involved have returned to duty, the department acknowledges the investigation is ongoing. Amidst their grief, Gary and his family are demanding accountability, with Gary firmly believing that Officer Kennedy should be fired for her role in the incident.
