Missouri City officer shot in face after responding to robbery call, suspect killed
MISSOURI CITY, Texas - The Missouri City Police Department is holding out hope for an officer shot while responding to a robbery on the city's southwest side.
It happened around 2 a.m. when officials said they spotted a vehicle linked to an aggravated robbery call Friday in north Harris County.
The alleged suspect, according to investigators, was at a Texaco gas station on Fondren and Main. When he was leaving, officers began following him while also calling for backup around 2:30 a.m.
The alleged suspect then stopped at a home in the 15500 block of Corsair before getting out and running towards the backyard of a home.
Police then approached the unidentified suspect, who shot at officers, hitting one of them in the face and foot.
That officer was later identified as Officer Crystal Sepulveda. She was rushed to Memorial Hermann in serious condition, but at last check is believed to survive her injuries.
It all happened outside the home of Carolyn Smith. She has family members in law enforcement.
"Before I got home, I thought she was gone, and I think that took me down mostly because when you have family members serving on the same job it does make you feel bad, but when I heard that she was okay, I felt a whole lot better," she said.
Meanwhile, after a brief foot-chase with investigators and a perimeter established, officials were able to find the suspect in the backyard of a home on Winter Briars Dr.
The suspect fired at officers, and they fired back - hitting the suspect several times. Two HPD officers, identified as J. Rodgers and M. Duron, fired their weapons at the suspect. We're told they are both assigned to HPD Tactical Operations and were sworn in as officers in June 2012 and October 2017, respectively. Authorities added a Texas DPS Trooper and Fort Bend County Sheriff's Deputy also fired their weapons.
The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital, where investigators said he died from his injuries.
Although it greatly concerns Smith something like this happened outside her home she continues to count her blessings adding, "Bullets didn’t go in the house. Bullets could have gone in the house. The car could have came through the window, so I feel much better to know God protected my son that was here last night."
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Officials have only identified him as an African American male between 25 to 30-years-old.
We're told he had two automatic pistols with extended magazines on his person.
No other details were shared, as of this writing, but an investigation continues.
This is a developing story and will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.