Houston police release bodycam that led to police officers discharging their weapons
By: A 30-year-old Houston resident, Robert Johnson, has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies following an incident that led to police officers discharging their weapons. The event took place on the service road of West Sam Houston Parkway South, also known as Beltway 8, around 7:20 a.m. on Wednesday, May 22.
Johnson is facing four felony charges in the 183rd State District Court, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated robbery, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession with intent to deliver marijuana. A fifth charge, misdemeanor evading arrest on foot, has also been filed in Harris County Criminal Court #13.
The incident began when HPD Traffic Enforcement Division officers, assigned to the Highway Interdiction Unit, located a vehicle involved in a high-speed pursuit a few days earlier. The pursuit had been terminated due to the risk to public safety. Officers obtained a warrant to seize the vehicle and located it at an apartment complex on Wednesday, May 22.
Upon informing Johnson that his vehicle was being seized, he exited the car, removed his 5-year-old daughter from the front passenger seat, and began reaching around the center console area, ignoring officers' commands to stop.
The situation escalated when Johnson turned abruptly, rushed towards Sergeant M. Ham, and knocked him to the ground. During the struggle, Ham's duty weapon discharged, but no one was struck. Officer M. Gonzalez, fearing Ham had been shot, discharged her duty weapon at Johnson, who was not hit and fled the scene on foot.
Johnson was later apprehended after allegedly robbing a woman at gunpoint. He was located with the help of an HPD Air Support helicopter and taken into custody without further incident.