By Mitchell Willetts
The Charlotte Observer
HOUSTON — An inmate was shot and killed in a struggle over the gun of a deputy assigned to watch him at a Texas hospital, authorities say.
The incident happened Monday, Feb. 24, at Kingwood Hospital in northeast Houston, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. While the hospital shooting involved a San Jacinto County deputy, it occurred near the Montgomery County line.
“The suspect, who was an inmate in the custody of San Jacinto County, is deceased, and there is no ongoing threat to the public,” the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities have not publicly identified the inmate, and it’s unclear what charges led to his arrest and why he was hospitalized, KPRC reported. But shots rang out inside the inmate’s hospital room at about 9 p.m., the Houston Police Department told the station.
“The deputy who was watching him tonight was inside the room with the prisoner,” HPD Cpt. Chris Hassig told the station. “An altercation ensued inside the room. There was a scuffle for the deputy’s gun, at which point the deputy was able to discharge his weapon a few times — striking the prisoner. Being at the hospital, aid was rendered immediately by personnel here, and unfortunately, that individual succumbed to his injuries and died.”
The inmate’s sister, Sherree Brooks, showed up to the hospital after the shooting and told KTRK she doesn’t know much more about what happened than police had already shared with news outlets.
“An incident happened yesterday which left him in custody with San Jacinto County, and we had no idea they brought him here to this hospital,” Brooks told KTRK. “But since he’s been in this hospital … he said everything was going good when we called, and then next thing, about 10 o’clock, we got a phone call saying that he had been shot.”
The deputy involved in the shooting has been with the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office for five months, police told the outlet.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said it is assisting the Houston Police Department, which is in charge of the investigation.
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