Houston Police Department Releases Body Cam Footage of Southwest Freeway Shootout
The Houston Police Department (HPD) has released body camera footage from six officers who were present during a deadly shootout on the Southwest Freeway last month. The footage, which was made public on Friday, provides a chilling account of the events that took place.
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The incident occurred on Saturday, November 11, when an officer began pursuing a suspect, later identified as Jafeth Torres Diaz, who had reportedly carjacked someone in the days leading up to the incident. The chase came to an end in the northbound lanes of the Southwest Freeway near the West 610 Loop, when Torres Diaz crashed the stolen car.
The released footage shows Officer Gibson jumping out of his patrol car and being shot by the suspect within 15 seconds. A bystander towing a trailer came to Gibson’s aid and pulled him to safety while a gun battle erupted between the officers and the suspect.
Multiple officers on the scene returned fire and struck Torres Diaz, causing him to fall to the ground. Traffic in the southbound lanes continued as normal, while drivers in the northbound lanes stopped to observe the scene.
Despite being wounded, Torres Diaz attempted to reload his gun. Officers on the body camera footage can be heard ordering him to drop the weapon before opening fire and killing him.
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Officer Gibson survived the shooting, but three others involved in the crash were taken to the hospital for their injuries.
The release of the body camera footage provides a crucial perspective on the events that unfolded that day. It offers insight into the split-second decisions made by officers in a life-threatening situation.
The HPD hopes that the release of this footage will help the public better understand the dangers faced by law enforcement officers and the split-second decisions they must make to protect themselves and others.
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