Houston police mistake armed businessman for burglar

[matefrio]

Hard to tell what went on here. Just glad they didn't harm anyone.

Houston police mistake armed businessman for burglar | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Houston police fired at a man with a gun but missed him when police suspected he and another man were possible burglars outside a business early this morning in southeast Houston.
The shooting happened in the 500 block of FM 1959 near Texas 3 about 5 a.m., police said. The men were not thieves, but owned the business at the building.
No injuries were reported.
Police said two on-duty Houston police officers were outside the building which they had under surveillance when they saw two men they suspected of being burglars walk toward it.
One of the men had a gun, police said.
Police said details about what led to the gunfire are sketchy. The officers ordered the men to stop and told the man with the gun to drop the weapon, but the men did not comply.
Then the officers opened fire. The men were not hit.
No other information, including why the officers were outside the building or why they suspected the men of being burglars, was immediately available.
Police are investigating the case.

 

[San Antone RR]

Wow. The reporting here is awful. Lots of missing info.

 

[Charlie]

Wow. The reporting here is awful. Lots of missing info.

Can't disagree with the lack of details in the report, but........................doesn't that usually mean somebody in authority overstepped their authority and made some mistakes so pertinent info got hushed up? Just sayin'.

 

[txinvestigator]

Can't disagree with the lack of details in the report, but........................doesn't that usually mean somebody in authority overstepped their authority and made some mistakes so pertinent info got hushed up? Just sayin'.

No, it does not. If you were a cop watching a building and and armed man approaced, refused your orders to drop his weapon, what would YOU do?

Unfortunately, this is not the first time, nor will it be the last (I suspect) that the police are on scene and encounter an armed home/business ower. If you see a uniformed cop pointing a gun at you COOPERATE!

 

[Charlie]

No, it does not. If you were a cop watching a building and and armed man approaced, refused your orders to drop his weapon, what would YOU do?

Unfortunately, this is not the first time, nor will it be the last (I suspect) that the police are on scene and encounter an armed home/business ower. If you see a uniformed cop pointing a gun at you COOPERATE!

Don't get me wrong, I am a strong law enforcement supporter! I may have mis-stated what I was trying to say! Now that I read my post again, it looks a little strong. I'm just wondering "what" exactly took place and "why" is it not reported. Anybody that does not comply with an officer's request regarding a weapon is exhibiting very stupid behavior, IMO! And probably needs to be eliminated from the gene pool.

Edit to add: Maybe the officers were not in uniform and the owners didn't believe they were officers?

 

[Charlie]

On the other hand.............maybe the "owners" were the ones the officers were watching. Their "business" practices may not have been legal? More info would certainly help.

 

[matefrio]

I looked for any other reports. Looks like every month they have something going on that block. Expanded search to a few more blocks and it's not the hood I'd want to live in.

Burglary | Crime reports | EveryBlock Houston
http://houston.everyblock.com/crime-reports/by-date/2010/4/23/526070/
http://houston.everyblock.com/crime-reports/by-date/2010/6/16/687271/
http://houston.everyblock.com/crime-reports/by-date/2010/7/7/687420/

 

[Texan2]

No, it does not. If you were a cop watching a building and and armed man approaced, refused your orders to drop his weapon, what would YOU do?

Unfortunately, this is not the first time, nor will it be the last (I suspect) that the police are on scene and encounter an armed home/business ower. If you see a uniformed cop pointing a gun at you COOPERATE!

+1

 

[ZX9RCAM]

On the other hand.............maybe the "owners" were the ones the officers were watching. Their "business" practices may not have been legal? More info would certainly help.

Yep, why was the business "under surveillance"???

 

[matefrio]

Yep, why was the business "under surveillance"???

See my second post above. High crime area with a business hit once a month for at least four of the previous months.

 

[matefrio]

Update with more details:

Houston police mistake armed bar owner for burglar | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Houston police fired at a man with a gun but missed him when officers suspected he and another man were possible burglars outside a bar early this morning in southeast Houston.
The shooting happened outside Smokin’ J’s Sports Bar in the 500 block of FM 1959 near Texas 3 about 5 a.m., police said. The men were not thieves, and the man with the gun was a bar co-owner.
No injuries were reported and no charges have been filed.
Typically, officers who discharge their weapon are automatically placed on three-days of administrative duty while an internal investigation is conducted, but HPD spokesman Kese Smith would not comment on whether that has happened in this case.
Police said three uniformed officers were in an alley behind the bar after they thought a burglary was in progress when they saw two men step outside the back door.
One of the men carried a pistol and refused to comply when officers identified themselves and ordered him to drop it, Smith said.
The man began to raise his arm and chambered a round in the gun, Smith said. That’s when two of the officers, fearing for their safety, each fired once, missing the man, Smith added.
The officers who fired have been identified as J. Frank and C. Rohling.
Smith said the confrontation began when an officer staking out the bar and another nearby business called for back up because he thought burglars were breaking into the bar.
He was parked near the bar in an unmarked car staking out the businesses because a rash of burglaries recently had been reported in the area, police said.
More than an hour after the bar closed for the night, the officer saw a car drive into the parking lot and a man get out and run inside.
Not long afterward, he saw another man run from the bar to the street and then dash back to the bar.
The officer called for other officers to help him investigate.
When the other officers arrived three went to the back of the building to an alley behind the bar. That’s when they saw the men step outside.
Smith said the first man came outside and raised his arms when police identified themselves and told him to stop. The other man then stepped out of the bar and refused to comply with the officers’ commands. The officers then fired.
He dropped the gun when the officers shot at him and dashed back inside the bar. Moments later he came outside and was taken into custody.
It was later determined that he was a bar co-owner and the other man an employee.
Daytime bartender Michelle Larrison identified the two men in the bar as employee Chris Trjan and co-owner Paul Brown.
The men were in the bar counting the night’s receipts and cleaning up, according to Larrison.
Since February the bar has been burglarized five times and in each episode buglers have broken in and stolen from a jukebox, bowling game and other entertainment machines. No alcohol was stolen and the cash register was always emptied before employees closed, according to Larrison.
After talking to reporters, Larrison briefly entered the bar before returning to announce that she’d just been fired for talking to the media.

 

[Charlie]

That pretty much clears it up. The "bar people" should count their lucky stars they are still alive! Good job HPD.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

See my second post above. High crime area with a business hit once a month for at least four of the previous months.

Gotcha.....

 

[Texan2]

the guy wouldnt put down the gun??? i would speculate he may be selling more than beer in that bar.....

 

[txinvestigator]

Update with more details:

Houston police mistake armed bar owner for burglar | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

One of the men carried a pistol and refused to comply when officers identified themselves and ordered him to drop it, Smith said.
The man began to raise his arm and chambered a round in the gun.

.

Yeah, that'll do it.

 

[zembonez]

Then the officers opened fire. The men were not hit.

POLICE training at its finest.

The guy with the gun was an idiot. The cops better be glad these were not burglars or they might have been the recipient of a few "better aimed" rounds.

 

[txinvestigator]

POLICE training at its finest.

The guy with the gun was an idiot. The cops better be glad these were not burglars or they might have been the recipient of a few "better aimed" rounds.

Police seldom "train" after the academy. The state only requires qualification once a year, and it is almost as lame as the CHL test. Blame lack of funding for departments.

 

[Texan2]

Police seldom "train" after the academy. The state only requires qualification once a year, and it is almost as lame as the CHL test. Blame lack of funding for departments.

I constantly correct officers whosay they are going to the range for annual firearms "training". I tell them they aren't training, they are "qualifying".
I spearhead the training for our department and we actually "train" twice a year, one low light event and one daylight event. We do lots of shoot and move, shoot from behind a car, from IN a car, from behind other barricades and shooting at targets that are partially hidden. We try to do as much realistic stuff as our budget allows. Rifle to handgun drills, shotgun to handgun drills. Officers load each others mags with inert rounds mixed in...when they have a dud, they have to clear and re-engage. Its fun and we get to shoot lots of rounds on the department dime!
Money is always the biggest hinderance to training.

 

[zembonez]

Nothing in my post was meant to imply any hatred for the police. Far from it... I was just poking fun at their apparent lack of marksmanship. Seems like a guy with a badge would think it honorable to become the best marksman he could be, even in pressure situations.

I know if I were in an occupation that could very well end up in a gun battle at some point, I'd want my chances to be better than the other guy's.

 

[Southpaw]

after the man chambered a round in his pistol when the officers identified themselves as police

Police then saw a second man leave the building through the same door. When they identified themselves as officers and ordered him to drop his weapon, though, the man racked up a round and raised his pistol, Smith said.

Right on HPD!!!!! There is a time to raise arms against the intrusion of government, however business owners and their employee don't have the right o raise up upon Peace Officer. I am sure this bar is in a nefarious district.