Three men alleged to have stolen a Ford Mustang at gunpoint and endangered the lives of police officers were apprehended after a tense chase that culminated in an officer discharging their firearm in Houston. According to Click2Houston, the incident began close to 11:30 p.m. on April 10, when a man reported the robbery of his vehicle. The suspects, aged 18, 19, and 20, were eventually taken into custody following a brief pursuit.
It was at Cliff Tuttle Park that the stolen Mustang was spotted by police. When they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the vehicle allegedly accelerated towards an officer, prompting a response that involved the firing of several shots at the speeding car. No injuries were reported from this gunfire. "The suspects then led officers on a brief pursuit that ended when the Mustang struck a curb," Click2Houston elaborated.
In a statement obtained by ABC13, HPD Assistant Chief Luis Menendez described how officers issued commands for the suspects to exit the vehicle, which were ignored just before the officer discharged his weapon. The subsequent chase ended with a crash on Force Street, where the vehicle struck a curb. The suspects fled from the car but were quickly apprehended by police.
During the investigation, officers found a stolen gun in the disabled Mustang and recovered an AR-style rifle that had been tossed from the vehicle during the chase. The apprehended officer, having patrolled for about an year, has been placed on leave per department protocol. The article from ABC13 reported, "Police said they found a stolen gun inside the vehicle as well as an AR-15 style rifle that was thrown out of the car during the chase." As the investigation progresses, authorities have yet to release the identities of the involved suspects.
