A police sergeant and a suspect were injured. Video shows a car nearly crushing the sergeant.
HOUSTON — Bodycam video has been released after a police sergeant and a suspect were injured near the Galleria last month.
It happened on Westheimer Road near the Galleria Mall on May 25. The newly released body-worn camera footage shows a Houston Police Department sergeant narrowly avoiding being crushed between two cars. The video was shared on YouTube by HPD. It contains upsetting images of blood and profanity.
Maxie Ray Whitaker, 42, was charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer on May 27.
At the time of the incident, Assistant Chief Yasar Bashir said several HPD officers were working off-duty security jobs. Officers on site had identified a vehicle connected to a jugging incident that had happened the day before. Jugging is a police term for when suspects follow an unsuspecting victim from a bank or ATM and rob them.
Bashir said that as officers approached the vehicle, the driver left the private property and began to drive on the opposite side of Westheimer. HPD’s Sergeant Marquez attempted to remove Whitaker from the car and was pinned between the suspect’s vehicle and another car.
Marquez fired multiple shots, striking Whitaker several times. Marquez calls from the car and quickly stands again.
Whitaker continued across Westheimer before coming to a stop and falling to the road. He pleads with officers.
“Sir, you shot me for nothing!” Whitaker said.
Marquez is seen standing over Whitaker, shouting.
“You almost killed me m***********!” Marquez yells at Whitaker as Whitaker is handcuffed. “You almost f****** killed me.”
“I got kids, man,” Whitaker replied.
Officers put a tourniquet on his leg to stop the heavy bleeding. The bodycam video shows the traffic incident, shooting and medical care from the POV of two officers.
Whitaker was transported to a hospital.
Anyone with additional information or video footage of the incident is urged to contact HPD’s Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.