The city of Houston is dealing with the aftermath of an incident that occurred on the afternoon of May 7. Walter Howard, 54, wearing a tactical helmet and body armor, was involved in a police chase and a subsequent shooting near Audrey Law Middle School. A video released by the Houston Police Department, featuring dashcam and bodycam footage, shows officers interacting with Howard, who was armed with a rifle during the chase. As per KHOU, the chase took place a couple of hours prior to school dismissal, raising significant safety concerns given its proximity to the middle school.
According to details provided by ABC13, Howard, a longtime security guard was confronted after he appeared to approach undercover officers aggressively while they were on duty, monitoring for violent offenders. The situation escalated when Howard dismissed the officers' commands during a traffic stop, opting instead to speed away, which led to a pursuit. In the bodycam video, officers are seen attempting a PIT maneuver and Howard is observed pointing a rifle out of his SUV's window. The footage does not show Howard aiming the rifle at officers, but gunfire can be heard as they respond to the perceived threat.
The chase culminated when Howard's vehicle crashed into a ditch after officers fired at him, striking him in the shoulder. The videos, containing strong language and potentially distressing images, were released on YouTube for public viewing, encapsulating the intense moments where Howard was ordered to remove his vest and was taken into custody. By the end of the altercation, Howard was arrested and now faces multiple charges, including four counts of aggravated assault on a public servant and one count of evading arrest.
The perspective provided by Howard’s family differs from the account given by authorities. "My brother would not do that. Anybody (who) knows him will tell you he loved the police," Patricia Youngwood, Howard's sister, recalled in a statement to ABC13. Despite these testimonies and the fact that Howard had no criminal history in Texas prior to this incident, the police were forced to make a split-second decision in the face of what appeared to be an imminent threat. Howard, who streamed some of the aftermath live, instructed viewers to "Make sure y'all tell Channel 13," as he sought medical help following the shooting.
The legal processes ensuing from this incident are ongoing, with Howard due in court next week to face the charges brought against him, as KHOU reported.
