The Houston police chief described commended the bravery of two police officers who were injured after engaging a dangerous burglary suspect in a shootout.
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On Tuesday afternoon, two Houston Police Department officers were responding to a burglary call when a resident pointed them toward her backyard, where the door to her storage shed was “ajar,” said Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo.
The woman alerted police because she found it “suspicious” that the door to her shed was open, Acevedo said.
Chief @artacevedo Giving Update on Officer Involved Shooting Scene https://t.co/cRlaA006z8
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) February 28, 2017
Ronny Cortez, a 24-year veteran of the department, and Jose Muñoz, a 10-year veteran of the department, used a ladder to jump a fence into the woman’s backyard, Avecedo said. As the officers approached the shed, a male suspect exited and opened fire on the officers.
Both officers were struck by gunfire multiple times, but they returned fire. The suspect was shot and later pronounced dead on the scene by first responders.
Cortez was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, and Muñoz was taken to a different hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Avecdeo said.
One officer is being taken to Ben Taub and one officer is being taken to Memorial Hermann #hounews
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) February 28, 2017
Avecedo described his officers as having “hearts of lions” because they “stayed in the fight and engaged the suspect.”
The officers “didn’t cower” or “run away,” Avecedo said.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner asked Houston residents to pray for the officers, adding that they were “getting the very best care available.”
“I want to ask all of Houston and people in the region to pray for both of these officers and their families,” Turner said. “As usual, they get up every day. They go on their shift. They don’t know what’s going to happen in the course of their shifts, and they dutifully serve this city.”
Mayor, Chief @artacevedo briefing on Wounded Officers https://t.co/bZc1nGLfAr
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) February 28, 2017
Avecedo said he was proud of the “outpouring of prayers and love and messages” from the Houston community.
A lockdown had been initiated in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred as officers searched for a second burglary suspect who was “potentially” connected to the shooting, Avecedo said.
Please avoid this area – Lock your doors and windows if you're inside this area until @houstonpolice says otherwise. #hounews pic.twitter.com/feGVOiyzek
— Houston OEM (@HoustonOEM) February 28, 2017
Police were initially already in the area due to a recent string of break-ins when the shooting occurred.
(H/T: ABC News)
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