Police officer, bystander killed in Houston shootout

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Police on the scene of a shootout in Houston that left two dead, including a police officer, on Dec. 24, 2012

/ KHOU

(CBS/AP) HOUSTON - A police officer and a bystander were killed in Houston on Monday after a driver who refused to comply with a traffic stop sped away, crashed his vehicle and then opened fire, according to Houston police spokesman John Cannon.

The officer, with a police department from the Houston enclave of Bellaire, died at a hospital, Cannon said. He did not release the names of the officer or the bystander.

Cannon said the incident began just before 9 a.m. when the officer tired to pull over the suspect's vehicle. The driver instead sped away and the officer chased after him.

"During the pursuit apparently the suspect's vehicle struck a white pick-up truck," Cannon said.

After the crash, the officer approached the vehicle and the suspect opened fire. The officer fired back. The bystander who was killed worked in a body shop near where the shooting took place, Cannon said. According to CBS affiliate KHOU, he was struck by the suspect's bullets.

Other police officers captured the suspect, who was also shot, Cannon said. He was taken to a hospital where he was in critical condition.

The Houston Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney's office are investigating, Cannon said.

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