An early morning incident in East Harris County has left one man dead and another injured after an off-duty police officer shot two men in his backyard. Click2Houston reports that Sheriff Ed Gonzalez stated deputies responded to a drive-by shooting call around 4:30 a.m. on Crosshaven Drive in the Woodforest neighborhood. Upon their arrival, an off-duty officer from the San Jacinto Police Department had shot two unidentified men found on his property.
The circumstances surrounding why the men were in the officer's backyard remain unclear. One victim was transported to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, while the other was taken via a private vehicle, with his condition not publicly known. "It's possible the wounded males may have entered the officer's backyard while fleeing the scene of the initial drive-by shooting, but details have yet to be confirmed," Sheriff Gonzalez said in a post on X, as noted by Click2Houston.
As investigators work to piece together this complex scenario, there is a paucity of information regarding the officer's actions and whether he will face any consequences. According to a FOX26 Houston report, the identity of the off-duty officer and his agency affiliation have not been disclosed. The report also indicates that officials are still in the process of gathering evidence at the scene and that all current information should be considered preliminary.
The condition of the second man, who was also shot, remains unknown at this time. We do not know what agency the off-duty officer works at, nor the circumstances that led to the two men entering his property.
