October 16, 2021 – In Breaking News – CNN
A gunman “came out of nowhere” and fired on constable’s deputies who were trying to detain someone else outside a Houston bar early Saturday, ultimately killing one deputy and injuring two others, a constable said.
Deputy Kareem Atkins, 30, died from his gunshot injuries, according to a statement posted on Facebook by Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman, which identified the three deputies involved.
Atkins is survived by his wife and 2-month-old baby.
(A man with an AR-15 rifle ambushed three Harris County deputies early Saturday morning, killing one and wounding two others while they were responding to a disturbance outside a bar in north Houston, authorities said. Courtesy of KPRC 2 Click2Houston and YouTube. Posted on Oct 16, 2021.)
The two deputies injured were identified as Darrell Garrett, 28, and Juqaim Barthen, 26.
Garrett was shot in the back, underwent surgery and was in the ICU Saturday afternoon, the statement said.
Barthen was “immediately shot and immobilized,” it added, without going into further detail.
Police say they’re looking for the shooter. One person was taken into custody, but authorities later confirmed that person is not believed to be the shooter.
“Deputies Atkins, Garrett, and Barthen are true law enforcement heroes that were cowardly ambushed while serving and protecting their community,” Herman said in the Facebook statement.
UPDATE: The individual detained near the scene has been interviewed by detectives. At this time, he is not believed to be the shooter.
The investigation continues.
Have information? Call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or @CrimeStopHOU at 713-222-TIPS. #hounews https://t.co/1HtByYt6An
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 16, 2021
The shooting happened around 2:15 a.m., after at least two of the Precinct 4 constable deputies — working an extra job at 45 Norte Sports Bar — went outside to address a disturbance, authorities said.
“It turns out it may have been a robbery they were intervening in … probably unknown to them at the time,” Jones said.
While the two deputies were trying to detain a suspect they had on the ground, another person “came from around a car with a rifle and basically shot them right there,” Herman told reporters.
The shooter “came out of nowhere,” Herman said.
The third deputy “hears gunshots … runs out there, and when he does, he doesn’t even draw a gun — he’s shot,” Herman said.
As Chief Jones said earlier, our hearts go out to the families of the deputies and the men & women of Harris County Pct. 4.
Currently, there are no updates in the investigation. Any developments in the case will be posted here.#hounews https://t.co/B9s2CCCneX
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 16, 2021
According to the Facebook statement, Barthen rushed to the parking lot to help the other two deputies when he was shot.
Earlier, Jones, the Houston police official, said all three deputies had been shot from behind.
Investigators believe the shooter was a man in his early 20s, according to Jones. “We hope to have a suspect in custody soon,” Herman said.
Continue reading… Gunman ‘out of nowhere’ shoots 3 deputies outside Houston bar, killing one, authorities say
Have information? Please call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or @CrimeStopHOU at 713-222-TIPS.
Editor’s note:
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Deputy Kareem Atkins, both blood and blue. Thank you for your bravery and commitment to serving the citizens of Houston. You will not be forgotten.
Also in our prayers are Deputies Garrett and Barthen for a full recovery.
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