Texas Deputy Shot During Disturbance Call; Suspect Escapes in Patrol Vehicle
What to Know
- A Harris County sheriff’s deputy was shot while responding to a family disturbance in the Channelview area and was hospitalized in fair condition.
- Authorities said the suspect fled the scene in the deputy’s patrol vehicle, which was later found abandoned about two miles away.
- A Blue Alert was issued, and the suspect was eventually apprehended.
The search for Patin continued Thursday morning, and Gonzalez said several agencies were assisting. He said Patin might be in his mid 20s, around 5'7 and roughly 125 pounds. He was wearing a black cap, black shorts and a gray T-shirt, according to the sheriff. Gonzalez believes he was still armed after the shooting.
"Any time somebody shoots a deputy, a peace officer, we consider that person to be very dangerous that could harm somebody else as they fled, and so we want to make sure we apprehend this person as quickly and as safely as possible," Gonzalez said during a press briefing.
The patrol car Patin allegedly used to escape was found a roughly two-mile drive away from the scene in the area of the East Freeway and Dell Dale Street, Gonzalez said.
A "blue alert" Thursday morning notified local residents about Patin's appearance and his alleged involvement in the deputy's injury. Cell phones buzzed as the public safety alert appeared on screen and asked people to call authorities with any information.
Authorities issue blue alerts to disseminate information when violent suspects pose an "imminent and credible threat to law enforcement" or when an officer goes missing in the line of duty, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
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