Baby Of Innocent Bystander Critically Injured In Texas Police Shooting
HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A Texas police officer pursuing a robbery suspect opened fire minutes before midnight on March 3. He killed a man driving a car linked to several robberies, but also critically injured a baby inside the car of a bystander.
According to Houston Executive Assistant Police Chief Troy Finner, officers tried to pull over a black Mercedes about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday because the car had been connected to several aggravated robberies. The driver did not stop, crashed the vehicle and then ran to a gas station, where a woman was outside her vehicle pumping gas.
The man jumped into the woman's vehicle and a responding officer saw that he had a gun. The officer opened fire, killing the man but also hitting a 1-year-old child that was in the backseat, Finner said.
Officials say the officer did not know the child was in the vehicle.
HPD Executive Assistant Chief Finner provides an update on officer involved shooting at Southwest Freeway and Beechnut https://t.co/0l4eyBMEuF
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) March 4, 2021
"Pray for this 1-year-old and that mother," Finner said. "Can you imagine pumping gas and having to go through this?"
The officer who opened fire will be paid on administrative leave pending an investigation, he said. The name of the man who was killed was not immediately released, but Finner said he was about 30 years old.
The baby's head was seen bandaged in video from the scene minutes after the shooting. The baby was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Police say the mother of the child was not hurt.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)