A La Marque man is facing multiple charges after allegedly firing a gun at a police officer and a landlord during the service of an eviction notice, authorities say. According to Click2Houston, the incident happened around 1 p.m. Monday at an apartment in the 2300 block of Rosalee, where the suspect, identified as 28-year-old William Rudd, rode up on a bicycle and fired approximately five shots before fleeing.
Rudd managed to escape the immediate vicinity on his bicycle, but was later located by police in the 500 block of Bayou Road; he then abandoned his bike and attempted to run on foot, but police apprehended him and also recovered the firearm believed to be involved in the shooting - the sergeant from the Galveston County JP 3 Constable’s Office and the landlord were not hit by the gunfire. Rudd now faces charges including evading arrest, with a bond set at $2,500, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault of a peace officer, each with a $75,000 bond.
In a statement obtained by ABC13, the unnamed landlord expressed relief that the shooter lacked a clear line of sight, "Thank God he didn't have a clear line of sight to us. We were on the second level but then further away. I was scared, but I knew that the officer had a vest, so I ducked behind him." Reflecting on the decision not to return fire, Sgt. Danny Allen said, "You have to sit back and think first about what is the aftermath of this." He considered the potential danger to the suspect's mother, who was reportedly in close proximity. "I think at the time, when the landlord was parked behind the individual who was shooting, if I would have fired back, his mother was too close in proximity if I were to engage the defendant so I just chose not to at the time."
Galveston County court records reveal Rudd has faced evictions before, including from the same property in February, leading to this latest confrontation, the landlord detailed further the moments of the encounter, stating, "He seemed to be very emotional. He didn't pay attention to what was around him. Thank God he didn't turn around. My mother was (an) arms reach (way from) her. He didn't hurt her. He came for us," according to the landlord's interview with ABC13. The La Marque Police Department expressed their gratitude following the event that those involved from the Constable’s Office escaped unharmed and could return home safely.
