Metro Officer Kills Suspect

Along a the busy main street jogging rail next to Rice University, a man lays dead after being shot to death by a Metro police officer.

Houston police, who are investigating the case, say it all started around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Memorial Hermann Hospital light rail station. A woman flagged down a Metro motorcycle officer claiming an apparent transient or homeless man had assaulted her. But when the officer tried to confront him, detectives say the suspect took off on foot through a parking garage to Main street near University.

"The entire time, shouting at him, backing away, waving the knife that he got in a threatening manner," said Victor Senties, an HPD spokesman.

Detectives say the officer discharged his taser, but it had no effect. A second Metro officer arrived on scene, and also used his taser to no success. Police say it was when the man lunged closer to the officers that they had to use deadly force.

"The Metro officer in fear of his life, had his duty weapon drawn," said Senties. "The suspect lunges at him again and he fires an undetermined number of times, striking the suspect."

The man died at the scene. Police say an innocent bystander was also accidently shot in the upper arm. She was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

"We've never had an officer involved shooting where a suspect died as a result of the shooting since May 1st, 1982 when the Metro Police Department was established," said Chief Thomas Lambert. "We're glad no officers were injured. Now we will work them through this process and be supportive of them in this."