Houston police officer killed in shooting incident

[webfact]

Houston police officer killed in shooting incident

 

A Houston police officer died on Tuesday after being shot while another officer who responded to the same incident was being treated for injuries in the hospital, according to a statement from Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

 

(Reuters) - A 41-year veteran of the Houston police force died on Tuesday after being shot multiple times in the head while another officer who was also shot during the same incident was being treated in the hospital, the city's police chief said.

 

Police Chief Art Acevedo said Elmer Manzano, a 51-year old Hispanic male, fired at officers responding to a disturbance call at an apartment in southwest Houston, wounding Officer Courtney Waller and killing Sergeant Harold Preston.

 

Waller has three years on the force while Preston, 65, served the city for 41 years, Acevedo said.

 

"Unfortunately his wounds were not survivable. He was shot more than once in the head, and also received a gunshot through the shoulder area that embedded in his spine," Acevedo told a briefing outside Memorial Hermann Hospital where Preston died.

 

 

Waller was shot in the arm and is in stable condition, while Manzano took a bullet to the abdomen but is expected to survive, Acevedo said. Manzano's 14-year old son was also shot during the gunfire but is expected to recover, Acevedo said.

 

The officers were dispatched to the apartment to help a woman who said she was trying to move out but that her estranged husband - Manzano - would not allow her to collect her things. She was outside the apartment with the 14-year old son.

 

When the son opened the door to the apartment, he alerted the officers that Manzano was armed. Manzano then shot multiple rounds at the officers, who returned fire, Acevedo said.

 

Manzano surrendered about an hour later, Acevedo said.

 

"Our hearts are with the family of Houston Police Sgt. Harold Preston who was shot and killed in the line of duty this morning," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Twitter. "This tragic loss is a grave reminder of the dangers our brave law enforcement officers face while keeping our communities safe."

 

(Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; editing by Jonathan Oatis, David Gregorio and Marguerita Choy)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-21

 

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[jesimps]

These are the ones the Dems want to defund. Still putting themselves between the bullets and the public.

[AndyFoxy]

Shot by an illegal immigrant. 

[SomchaiCNX]

R.I.P. Sir.

 

[Qman]

Domestic disturbance calls are some of the most dangerous situations for police.  They arrive to a highly emotional situation and can have both parties turn on them.  Many instances of being shot or stabbed by one of the parties involved and they need to be on high alert.  Very sad and tragic when this happens.  RIP to the officer killed.

[J Town]

2 hours ago, jesimps said:

These are the ones the Dems want to defund. Still putting themselves between the bullets and the public.

This was a completely unfortunate term slapped on too quick too soon. What reasonable thinking people are say is reallocate funds to human services departments so the police aren't called out for things they aren't equipped to handle. And honestly, how many home town forces need tanks?!?

[Lacessit]

The police in America have no idea whether any person they are approaching is armed, thanks to the NRA and the Second Amendment. Conversely, the police are trigger-happy, as witness Justine Damond. A deranged nation.

[teacherclaire]

1 hour ago, AndyFoxy said:

Shot by an illegal immigrant. 

Shot with a gun that seems to be a status symbol in the US of the A.

 

 RIP, cop. You knew the risk. Sorry for your family and friends. 

[teacherclaire]

1 hour ago, SomchaiCNX said:

R.I.P. Sir.

 

Let's hope that the family gets what they deserve. 

[RichardColeman]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

Manzano surrendered about an hour later, Acevedo said.

On the plus side, at 51, he'll be carried out in a coffin from prison

[sirocco]

POST 8

 

It's still a bit light, as a reflection.
Of course, this policeman knew the risks, but he and those close to him hoped that he would end his life differently.
Fortunately, there are people who risk their lives to protect you or your life.

[nausea]

I guess this is basically why, in an armed society, police shoot first and ask questions later. We're a long way from The Blue Lamp here.

[The Theory]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

Preston, 65, served the city for 41 years, Acevedo said.

He should not delay his retirement. 40 years was already too much. ????

[Jack Hna]

Why you did not check out after 30 years. Pension don't get any better.

[steven100]

1 hour ago, teacherclaire said:

Shot with a gun that seems to be a status symbol in the US of the A.

 

 RIP, cop. You knew the risk. Sorry for your family and friends. 

well what else would he have been shot with if not a gun,  and it's not a status symbol as you inferred.

Your US bashing is not needed as the poor guy has lost his life.

[NanLaew]

32 minutes ago, Jack Hna said:

Why you did not check out after 30 years. Pension don't get any better.

Why you did not stop posting after 577th post. Your sense don't get any better.

[xylophone]

On 10/21/2020 at 4:20 PM, jesimps said:

These are the ones the Dems want to defund. Still putting themselves between the bullets and the public.

That is a totally ignorant post, and should I say, ignorant of the facts, because this lie has been propagated and spread by others such as yourself and is so very far from the truth as to be laughable.

 

When it comes down to the spreading of malicious rumours/lies, there is one side in the US which clearly outstrips others, and just to give you a clue, their leader is a compulsive liar.

[AndyFoxy]

11 minutes ago, xylophone said:

That is a totally ignorant post, and should I say, ignorant of the facts, because this lie has been propagated and spread by others such as yourself and is so very far from the truth as to be laughable.

 

When it comes down to the spreading of malicious rumours/lies, there is one side in the US which clearly outstrips others, and just to give you a clue, their leader is a compulsive liar.

So what are the “facts”?

[Scott]

Troll post and reply reported and removed.  

[xylophone]

34 minutes ago, AndyFoxy said:

So what are the “facts”?

It has long been realised that police officers are overworked and overstressed.

 

Interviews conducted with hundreds of police officers show that they respond to everything from potholes in the street to cats stuck up a tree.

 

Focusing on menial tasks throughout the day is inefficient and a waste of taxpayer money. Other government actors should be responsible for these and receive adequate funding for doing them. 

 

“Defund the police” means reallocating or redirecting funding away from the police department to other government agencies funded by the local municipality so that the police can get on with the job of policing rather than all of the other tasks they are given to perform. That in turn will enable them to be better trained in the specifics of policing and not conducting menial tasks. It’s that simple. 

 

Defund does not mean abolish policing, and policing will still continue, in a much more efficient and effective manner.

 

Plenty more out there on the Internet for you to peruse if you should care to do so.

[Tug]

A tragic end to a long career of service and imo a text book example of the nessary  addition of mental health professionals added to the police forces bag of tools imo it would save lives police and civilian rip sir I’m deeply sorry for your family that your career ended so tragically 

[douglasspade]

23 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

On the plus side, at 51, he'll be carried out in a coffin from prison

Yet in prison he will be labeled a 'cop killer', he will be treated like a god by the other inmates.

[AndyFoxy]

41 minutes ago, xylophone said:

It has long been realised that police officers are overworked and overstressed.

 

Interviews conducted with hundreds of police officers show that they respond to everything from potholes in the street to cats stuck up a tree.

 

Focusing on menial tasks throughout the day is inefficient and a waste of taxpayer money. Other government actors should be responsible for these and receive adequate funding for doing them. 

 

“Defund the police” means reallocating or redirecting funding away from the police department to other government agencies funded by the local municipality so that the police can get on with the job of policing rather than all of the other tasks they are given to perform. That in turn will enable them to be better trained in the specifics of policing and not conducting menial tasks. It’s that simple. 

 

Defund does not mean abolish policing, and policing will still continue, in a much more efficient and effective manner.

 

Plenty more out there on the Internet for you to peruse if you should care to do so.

Thanks for clarifying.

[nausea]

Maybe they've changed, but the most <deleted> up racist guys I knew joined the police force in the old days. Personally, I was interested in the paras, but some guy talking about how he beat up a priest put me off totally, got the red beret anyway, just to prove I could. I dunno, perhaps the Foreign Legion or the Marines could've given me what I was looking for. Wasted my time doing a Law Degree, proved useful later on though, the reason I have a pension now. Still, those wasted years?