http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7151940.html

Houston police mistake armed businessman for burglar
By DALE LEZON HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Aug. 13, 2010, 7:22AM


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.

=====================================================

Update:
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.


UPDATE:  VIDEO OF SHOOTING

http://www.ultimateclearlake.com/2010/08/see-video-police-shoot-pair-mistaken-burglars

Nervous cops =  dead innocents

This story gets /

 

Good grief

wut?

Good that the business owner(s) weren't hit. But I find it kind of funny that two Police Officers were shooting and neither one hit what they were aiming at.

In before someone shows up with their Jump to Conclusions mat.

Need the whole story.

But, from the article, If the police tell you to drop the weapon, its a good idea to drop the weapon

Not enough information..

Too many details are left out..

Rule number 4.

What the fuck is with Houston?

Was there a Costco nearby?

a bit trigger happy?

This. Exactly.

 

Uniformed or plain clothes?

Did they ID themselves as police?

Open carry or gun in hand?

Yep.

So you support the opening of fire on a business owner?

Do tell.

What if it was a holstered weapon?



 

We don't want Houston to become another Oakland, so we shoot first and ask questions later.

Except if they were conducting surveillance, they may not have been in uniform...  Plenty of criminals will shout "Police" or wear vests saying "POLICE" to get the upper hand when committing crimes.  Friend is LAPD, was conducting surveillance, waiting for uniformed officers to arrive to confront a suspect when the suspect tried to carjack him.  Didn't end so well for the suspect.



 

i think the problem in this kind of situation is that the natural reaction for a person (esp someone who doesnt think they are doing anything wrong) is to turn and face the direction the yelling is coming from.  of course this leads to the police thinking there is a threat.  

When the cops approach and observe you with a firearm, not following their commands makes you an idiot.

Sketchy details.

If I am on my property, doing nothing illegal, and a cop opens fire on me...  I have to admit, I have a big problem with that.

Fuck compliance, until I see a badge and ID.

See, according to the article, there was something in between being observed by the cops and being fired upon, something you are leaving out. Purposely, it appears.



The article could be incorrect, but as above, I'm just going off the info we have.

I swear do they give you guys pre-printed cards with this canned line on them.

nevermind. adios

The hell do you mean "you guys"?



Nevermind. I guess actually arguing your side without leaving things out is something you don't do so well at.

Meh.  Just let him skulk away back to his basement of awesomeness.





 

Drop a loaded gun. Fo real. Whats they gonna do if it goes off.

Houston is quickly trying its best to catch Austin as the WTF capital of Texas...

Barney Fife?

You don't know what its like to have the element of surprise, superior training, and being on the two-way range with bullets only flying in one direction.  



 

This

Absolutely!

Fuck your rights and the law.

Just do what they say and get on the box car juden drop your weapon.

What's that sayin'...........Never invite the man into your life........cause they just roll in and shoot everybody!  

Plus,  guns are EXPENSIVE,  dropping them might scratch them up!
 

If an officer in uniform were to point a gun at me I'd be carefully following his directions.  Looking down the barrel of a gun is not the appropriate time to flex your rights, even if the officer is wrong.

Until Houston has a popular Transvestite run for mayor or selling Tshirts reminding everyone "Keep Houston Retarded", they are still a lap behind



 

Both fired, but no hits?

See, a lack of training CAN save lives.

obviously they didn't know how to shoot a gun.

Give them a break, they probably don't have any training time after all the EO classes they have to attend.

Holy crap, I drive by there at like 4:15. Good thing The cops or owners didnt blade at me.

The only thing I like about Houston is that when I'm driving through I'm only an hour away from arriving in Galveston.

Or, if you are an asshat and see someone with a gun, which they obviously aren't "perfeshnull" enough to have, then start shooting unneccessarily.....you can just say you told them to stop and drop the weapon. Hey, who's not gonna believe what the cops write in the report, right?


See, it works both ways.

This story has more holes than Charlie Rangel's  hearing testimony....

Can I tell him to ," Calm down, there, Barney" while I GENTLY lay my 2500 dollar wilson combat on the pavement?



At least the cops can't shoot straight.

I carry a custom 1911 as well. If a uniformed cop tells me to drop it, I'm probably going to drop the fuck out of it. 2500 bucks ain't shit compared to my gorgeous hide. If the choice is to headshoot the cop or drop the gun, the gun is hitting the pavement.

This story needs a LOT more detail.