Crime
Deputy Constable and Suspect Shot Outside Harris County Family Law Center
A Harris County deputy constable was injured in a shootout outside the Harris County Family Law Center in downtown Houston on Monday afternoon, in what officials are describing as a swift and coordinated response to an active threat near the courthouse district.
The incident occurred shortly after 12:20 p.m. when law enforcement received reports of an armed individual walking from Caroline Street toward the Harris County Family Law Center on Congress Street.
According to authorities, Deputy Sheila Jones of Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office spotted the suspect and initiated a foot pursuit down Congress Street.
As the suspect moved toward the courthouse plaza, additional law enforcement officers engaged, resulting in a gunfire exchange involving at least four officers.
A witness at the scene reported hearing 15 to 20 shots during the confrontation.
Deputy Jones and the suspect were both struck by gunfire. Jones was transported to Texas Medical Center, where she is expected to recover.
Officials said her bulletproof vest likely prevented more serious injuries.
According to Constable Alan Rosen, Jones reported feeling intense heat on the upper left side of her rib cage after being hit.
The unidentified suspect, described as a man in his 30s, was reportedly armed with two firearms.
He was also wounded in the exchange and taken into custody. No motive for the shooting has been released, and no other injuries were reported.
Deputy Sheila Jones, a 30-year law enforcement veteran and Army veteran, has served with Precinct 1 for the past two years.
She was assigned to the county attorney’s office and was on duty at that location when she first observed the suspect.
Her son also serves in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, adding a deeply personal dimension to Monday’s events.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, who personally knows Jones and her family, praised her resilience, stating, “She is a staple. It was no different today in the hospital. She is in great spirits and thank God she is OK.”
The Houston Police Department is leading the investigation.
Teare confirmed that the suspect could face multiple charges, including aggravated assault of a peace officer, which carries penalties equivalent to those for murder.
Authorities commended the rapid response by law enforcement, saying their decisive actions may have prevented further loss of life.
The investigation into the suspect’s identity and potential motive remains ongoing.
Authorities in Abbeville are actively investigating a shooting incident that left one man dead and a second victim hospitalized following a series of emergency calls on Friday, April 18.
According to the Abbeville Police Department, the initial call came in shortly after gunfire was reported in the 700 block of South Guegnon Street.
Moments later, police received a second report indicating that a vehicle had crashed into a utility pole in the parking lot of Landry’s Laundromat on Charity Street.
A third call was then placed advising that another shooting victim had been located on Prairie Avenue.
Investigators determined that the incident began when a 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe, traveling northbound on Guegnon Street, came under fire from an unknown assailant or assailants who discharged multiple .223 caliber rounds at the vehicle.
Tavian Young, 20, of Abbeville, who was inside the vehicle, was struck by a bullet on the right side of his torso, just beneath the armpit.
A second passenger, an unidentified female, sustained a gunshot wound to the back of her head.
Despite being under fire, the driver of the Tahoe continued north on Guegnon Street, then turned east onto Charity Street before losing control and crashing into a utility pole in the southeast corner of Landry’s Laundromat parking lot.
When first responders arrived at the crash scene, they discovered the vehicle resting against the utility pole with Tavian Young unresponsive inside.
Officers administered CPR, but despite life-saving efforts, Young was pronounced dead at the scene.
Responding units were then directed to Prairie Avenue, where the female victim was found with a gunshot wound to the head.
She was transported to a nearby hospital, where she remains in stable condition, authorities confirmed.
A third passenger, a three-year-old child, was also in the vehicle at the time of the shooting. The child was not injured and was later released to a family member.
The Abbeville Police Department, in conjunction with other agencies, is continuing its investigation into the shooting.
No arrests have been made at this time, and authorities have not yet released details about potential suspects or a possible motive.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Abbeville Police Department.