By Joanna Putman
Police1
HOUSTON, Texas — Newly released body and dashcam footage shows a Houston police officer fatally shooting a man who repeatedly reached for a gun in his waistband as she attempted to detain him, KTRK reported.
Police were called to the gas station for reports of two men trespassing. Officer Jillian McGowan and another officer arrived on the scene and, during a search of the suspect’s pockets, McGowan discovered he had a gun, according to the report. The man also had outstanding warrants for traffic violations at the time of the incident.
“Put your hands behind your back. Don’t move!” McGowan can be heard shouting in the video. “He’s got a gun, he’s got a gun!”
Despite the man’s repeated denials that he was carrying a weapon, officers later recovered a firearm from his waistband. A struggle ensued between the man and the officers, with McGowan repeatedly warning him that she would shoot if he continued resisting.
“I will shoot you. Don’t you move!” McGowan said during the encounter, as she pinned the man’s arms to the ground.
Throughout the struggle, the man continued resisting and urged the officer to shoot him, stating, “I’d rather die than go to jail. Shoot me!”
At that point, McGowan opened fire, striking the suspect. He was pronounced dead at the hospital an hour later, according to the report.
The Houston Police Department said in a news release that the man had “attempted to move his hands toward the pistol.” The incident is currently under investigation by both the Houston Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.