Houston police fatally shot a man in the Spring Branch area Friday afternoon after he allegedly threatened officers with a bat and a chunk of concrete. the incident occurred at the intersection of Wirt Road and Hammerly Boulevard. According to authorities, a Taser was deployed but proved ineffective before the shooting.

The Escalating Encounter

The events leading up to the shooting unfolded rapidly, according to witnesses. Oscar Rios, who observed the scene, described a growing sense of unease. Something inside me was telling me something bad was going to happen, Rios said.

Video footage,shared with ABC13,depicted the suspect carrying three bags and a bat,flanked by two Houston Police Department (HPD) officers. The officers followed the man across the street. Moments later, one of the officers discharged the fatal shots.

Rios, who recorded his own video of the incident, expressed his hopes for a diffrent outcome. I just kept hoping it was going to turn out better, he stated.

Prior Incident and Police Response

HPD reported that officers were responding to a second call from a security guard concerning a man with a bat making threats. The initial incident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m.in the 7800 block of Longpoint Road. The security guard stated that the man had charged at him, but the suspect left before police arrived.

Around 3 p.m., the same security guard contacted police again, reporting the suspect’s return. Officers located the man near Wirt Road, were he was still armed with a bat and exhibiting aggressive behavior, according to police.

Rios described the suspect’s actions: The guy had a bat,a blue and silver baseball bat and would swing at them to keep them at bay.

The shooting

Assistant Chief Yasar Bashir explained that after crossing the street, the man picked up a piece of concrete. He allegedly failed to comply with multiple commands and continued to pose a threat. An officer deployed a Taser, but it had no effect.

The suspect had a heavy jacket and that’s one of the reasons, I believe, it did not have any effect, Bashir said.

The other officer then fired five times, resulting in the man’s death. Officers provided aid, but the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. He is believed to be a Hispanic male in his 50s.

Investigation and Protocol

The officer who fired the shots, a three-year veteran of the HPD, has been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation. The department plans to release body-worn camera footage within 30 days. HPD’s Homicide Division, Internal Affairs, and the Harris County district Attorney’s office are all conducting investigations into the incident.