Officer Richard Houston Mesquite Texas cop shot dead by suspect after responding to disturbance outside grocery store. Suspect remains in critical condition as cops yet to say who fired first.
A Texas police officer with the Mesquite Police Department was killed in a shooting outside a grocery store after responding to a disturbance call, Friday afternoon.
Richard Lee Houston II arrived on the scene at 1500 block of Belt Line Rd, in Mesquite when the suspect shot the Mesquite officer ‘multiple’ times outside Albertsons before turning the gun on himself and critically injuring himself, police said.
The suspect was shot once during the altercation, while Houston was shot twice, police stated.
The alleged shooter is in critical condition at a local hospital, according to WFAA.
It’s unclear who fired their weapon first.
21 year lauded veteran cop
The identity of the suspect or the nature of the disturbance which led to police being called was not disclosed.
At the time of the shooting, Houston and the un-named suspect were both taken to Baylor Hospital. Houston was pronounced deceased at about 2:11 p.m. The suspect remains in critical condition NBC12 reported.
Richard Houston was a 21-year veteran of the Mesquite Police Department and was married with three children. He was hired by the Mesquite Police Department on January 8, 2001. He graduated from Section 153 of the Basic Course in Applied Police Science was named Valedictorian of his class.
Houston’s assignments included serving in the Operations Bureau as a Patrol Officer, on the SWAT Team for more than 10 years, and in Criminal Investigations handling Burglary and Theft, Homeland Security, and Juvenile/Gang cases. He also earned a Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Master Peace Officer License and Instructor Proficiency Certificate.
Officer Houston received a Certificate of Merit in April 2021 for his heroic actions assisting the Garland Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety with the arrest of three suspects of a stolen car used in various crimes and he prevented a suicide attempt by one of the suspects during the apprehension efforts.
His recognitions during his Mesquite Police Department career include:• 48 Letters of Commendation• 2 Life Saving Awards• 1 Police Commendation Bar• Citizens Police Academy Officer of the Month Award in August 2018
Mesquite Police Chief David Gill said, ‘This was a senseless act of violence. Richard was a great officer, friend, father, and husband. Please keep his family and our family in your prayers.’
‘We know that there’s always a possibility where one of us will have to lay down our lives,’ Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia told WFAA. ‘This officer’s a hero. He did exactly that.’
