A volunteer reserve deputy with the Harris County Sheriff's Office shot and killed a man on Wednesday in a gunfight outside a north side pawn shop.
The gunfire erupted about 6 p.m. at Cash America in the 9800 block of Airline near West Mount Houston.
The man was struck twice and taken by ambulance to Ben Taub General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His identity was not available late Wednesday.
The deputy was not injured, officials said.
Police called
Employees at the pawn shop said the man came into the store shortly before 6 p.m. and wanted to see several expensive pieces of jewelry.
"One of their policies is to have an ID with you in order to look," said sheriff's deputy Thomas Gilliland.
The man didn't have any and continued walking around the shop. Employees told deputies it appeared as if he was casing the store for a holdup.
The employees then called police, reporting a suspicious person.
The sheriff's deputy, a volunteer reserve lieutenant, arrived at the store within minutes. He saw the man leaving and asked for his ID, Gilliland said.
The man told the deputy it was still in his car.
As the man reached into the vehicle, he produced a handgun from behind his waist, pointed it at the deputy and fired twice, Gilliland said.
The deputy fired several rounds at the man.
Sheriff's deputies said the men were about 10 feet apart.
25-year volunteer
The deputy has been a volunteer with the Sheriff's Office for about 25 years.
His identity has not been released.
The sheriff's office and Harris County District Attorney's Office will investigate the shooting.
Copyright 2013 - Houston Chronicle
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
