Bodycam: Houston Police Officer Stabbed in Head During Clash Outside Downtown Drug Store

Recently released body camera and bystander video footage shows a frightening confrontation between Houston police and an agitated man, who stabbed in officer in the head before he was fatally shot.
Dec. 17, 2025

What to know

  • A Houston police officer was stabbed in the head outside a downtown CVS on Nov. 23 after a man asked officers for help, then became agitated and threatened them, according to body-camera footage.

  • Police said the suspect, identified as Gustavo Rico Sandoval, pulled a knife and stabbed Officer Joaquin Garza behind the left ear during a struggle.

  • Garza’s partner fatally shot Sandoval during the skirmish, and Garza was hospitalized with a head laceration.

A Houston police officer was injured when he was stabbed in the head outside a downtown drug store last month by a suspect who was fatally shot by the officer's partner.

The stabbing happened just before 8 p.m. Nov. 23 when a man — later identified as Gustavo Rico Sandoval — asked two officers for help outside a CVS pharmacy, KHOU-TV reports. Body camera footage of the incident released Tuesday shows Sandoval becoming more upset as he continues talking with police. 

"Don't try me," Sandoval tells the officers. "You get closer, and I'm gonna (expletive) you up."

The officers continued to talk with Sandoval, trying to calm him down and de-escalate the situation. Sandoval then pulled a knife and stabbed Officer Joaquin Garza behind his left ear.

A struggle ensued as the officers tried to disarm Sandoval, who fell to the ground during the confrontation. Garza's partner opened fire during the skirmish, and two shots struck Sandoval, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Garza was taken to the hospital with a large laceration to his head. His partner was uninjured.

The incident is under investigation.

About the Author

Joe Vince
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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.
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