Video: Houston Police Officer Stops Machete-Wielding Man Charging at Him

June 12, 2025

Houston police were responding to reports of a man with a machete who allegedly stole items from a Family Dollar store when the suspect advanced at an officer on a bridge.

Joe Vince

Houston police clashed with an accused retail thief brandishing a machete last month when the suspect charged at an officer, who fatally wounded the man.

The incident happened shortly before 3:30 p.m. May 16 when police responded to a call about a man who allegedly stole items from a Family Dollar store, KPRC-TV reports. Before leaving, the suspect—later identified as Earnest Duke Harrison—allegedly threatened employees with a machete before leaving the store.

Police caught up with Harrison on a bridge over a highway. In body camera footage, Harrison is seen refusing to obey commands to stop before charging at one of the responding officers.

That's when the officer opened fire, striking Harrison. The suspect was rushed to the hospital, where he died May 20.

The shooting is under investigation.

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.