June 6, 2018 - Houston police are investigating an incident in which an HPD officer discharged his duty weapon at an armed suspect at 10898 Beechnut Street about 2 p.m. on Tuesday (June 5).

It is not believed the suspect was struck.

Officer R. Mason was not injured in this incident.  He was sworn in as an HPD officer in September 2009 and is assigned to the Westside Patrol Division.

HPD Special Investigations Unit Senior Police Officer R. Gonzalez and Officer D. Hobson reported:

A plain-clothes HPD Officer (Mason) and a marked patrol unit both responded to a person down call in a store parking lot at 8300 Wilcrest. While rendering aid to the male, Officer Mason heard several gunshots and saw a male  shooting in his direction from a gas station parking lot across the street. 

The suspect then ran toward a black Ford pickup truck parked at the gas station pumps.  While approaching the suspect, Officer Mason identified himself as an officer and yelled for the suspect to stop.  The suspect then turned quickly around and began to raise his weapon toward Officer Mason, who, fearing for his safety drew his duty weapon and discharged it one time at the suspect.

The suspect did not appear to be struck and fled northbound on foot.  He remains at large at this time.

As is customary when an officer discharges a weapon in the city limits this incident is being investigationed by the HPD Special Investigations Unit and Internal Affairs Division.

Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.