Suspect dead after HCSO off-duty officer discharges weapon while trying to protect child: Deputies

A man is dead after being shot by an off-duty Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy trying to protect his child, the sheriff’s office said .

Deputies say they responded to a weapons disturbance at 2:45 p.m. in the 5300 block of Treewood Drive in Atascocita.

They said that the deputy had just placed his young child in a car seat in the back of a pickup truck when the suspect approached and attempted to enter the passenger’s side of the vehicle.

Authorities said that the deputy held the suspect at gunpoint and called 911 before firing his weapon, fearing for the child’s life.

“He could be heard giving multiple commands to the subject before shots were fired,” Maj. Ben Katrib with the sheriff’s office said.

The suspect was found on the front lawn of the home next to a vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds, the sheriff’s office said. He was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The suspect’s mother identified him as 27-year-old Darrius Williams and said he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder eight years ago.

“He’s talking to himself, he’s agitated, he’s doing push-ups in the street. He’s jogging, he thinks he’s in the Army,” Tieneeshia Williams, who said his symptoms intensified Sunday, said.

“I’ve tried every recourse available to me to get him help. I’ve been denied in every way possible,” she said.

Williams said she called authorities on Thursday to warn them about her son’s erratic behavior.

“I said I just want it to be documented so that any officer will not approach him thinking that he is trying to be violent,” Williams said.

She said detectives told her Friday that the shooting had been captured on camera. She now wants to see the video.

“If he entered that gentleman’s car with his baby in the seat, that’s one thing. But if he didn’t, that’s another thing,” she said.

The sheriff’s office stated that the off-duty deputy was a four-year veteran of the HCSO, assigned to the patrol division.

Although he was off-duty at the time, the sheriff’s office is following the same procedures they would have had he been on duty. The deputy has been placed on leave, and the case will be referred to a grand jury.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office’s non-emergency line at 713-221-6000.

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