The teen taken into custody Thursday afternoon after a shooting at a bus stop early that morning.
HOUSTON — A teen suspect who escaped police custody Thursday evening after being brought in for questioning in a shooting was recaptured in north Houston less than 90 minutes later, according to police.
Metro Police Chief Ben Tien confirmed during a news conference Thursday that the teen had been taken into custody around 6:50 p.m. on Fulton Street near the intersection of the North Loop and I-45. That’s about 3 to 4 miles from Metro headquarters, where the alleged escape took place.
According to Tien, the teen was first taken into custody earlier in the day with the help of a K-9 unit after a woman was shot at Crosstimbers and Airline Drive. The woman, described as being in her mid-40s, was rushed to the hospital and was in critical but stable condition following surgery.
“After a search with the K9 help, they were able to apprehend the suspect, a person of interest at the time,” Tien said. “The person was determined to be a juvenile male, 16 years of age.”
Tien said the teen was bitten by a police dog as he was taken into custody and was taken to the hospital for treatment. After being released, he was brought back to Metro headquarters for an interview, but somehow managed to escape from a second-floor interview room at around 5:30 p.m., still wearing handcuffs.
When asked how the suspect slipped free, Tien said it appeared he had broken loose from at least one of the handcuffs. Details about the escape, including how he got out, remain under investigation.
“It’s our job to look into what happened, what took place,” Tien said. “It’s also always look in the future, how can we prevent that.”
Following the escape, multiple agencies launched a coordinated search. Authorities were able to contain the teen within an area using surveillance technology and community tips. He was ultimately found near a bus stop.
It’s still unclear what led to the initial shooting. Investigators say the teen was in possession of a gun earlier in the day, though no weapon was found on him at the time of his second arrest.
Charges against the teen are pending and the investigation is ongoing.