Category: Houston Police Department|Police Shooting

On Tuesday, January 30, 2018, a tragic homicide occurred in Houston, Texas, as a kidnap victim was shot and killed by a SWAT team member with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Ulises Valladares was reported as being kidnapped from his home in Conroe, Texas. Acting on information obtained during an investigation, the FBI attempted to enter the location where Valladares was being held. A tool was used to break a rear window, but the FBI agent dropped the tool inside. A second agent decided to gain entry using his rifle. The Houston Police Department was also at the location, and HPD reported that Valladares grabbed the rifle and started tugging on it. The FBI agent reported that he was afraid he was losing control of the rifle, and he allegedly made the decision to fire the weapon. Valladares was struck by one of the shots, and a second shot hit the roof. When law enforcement officers entered the home, they discovered that Valladares was bound and had been shot. They immediately called for emergency medical assistance. Valladares was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.

According to Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, the FBI agents identified themselves repeatedly, yelling “FBI” while trying to enter the home. The room where Valladares was being held was dark, since a decision had been made by the FBI not to utilize lighting during the rescue attempt.

Three individuals are currently facing charges related to the kidnapping. One of the individuals is related to Valladares by marriage and allegedly threatened other members of his family, in addition to allegedly kidnapping him for a ransom of $20,000.

The alleged shooting by a law enforcement officer is under investigation.

As with every post on this website, we are only providing information in this post and do not make any allegation or assertion that anyone acted inappropriately or engaged in misconduct.

–Guest Contributor

The Houston Police Department filed a custodial death report with the Attorney General of Texas regarding the death of Jose Macedo, only 33 years old at the time.  Information posted here was obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing.  Instead, we are simply providing information.

On October 24, 2017, Houston police officers were on duty when they heard through dispatch a general broadcast of a robbery in progress at a McDonald’s nearby.  They responded to the call.  Allegedly, Mr. Macedo had a screwdriver in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other hand.  Mr. Macedo allegedly refused commands to drop the weapons.  Officers allegedly used electronic weapons on Mr. Macedo, with no result.  Ultimately, Mr. Macedo was shot and killed.

In the early morning hours on Tuesday, September 5, 2017, A driver in a black Cadillac SUV sped away when police officers in Houston, Texas, were attempting to pull the vehicle over for making an illegal U-turn on W. Bellfort. The officers chased the vehicle on Highway 59 in the southbound lanes. En route, two female suspects allegedly tossed bags out of the window, which officers believed to contain marijuana, according to Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. The suspect vehicle ended up on Sunburst Street and struck a tree and a fire hydrant before allegedly intentionally backing into police vehicles twice. At this point, according to Acevedo, several police officers fired their weapons on the suspect vehicle. The driver and passenger were allegedly shot by police as well as a woman inside her nearby home. All three who were injured in the alleged police gunfire were transported to Ben Taub hospital. They are all expected to fully recover.

Chief Acevedo said that charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon are pending for both suspects. The officers who were involved in the alleged shooting have been placed on administrative duty while further investigation into the incident is conducted.

What will no doubt come under scrutiny is whether or not the actions of the officers were in keeping with protocol. Even then, the policies and procedures of the Houston Police Department may come under fire, due to the fact that a person completely uninvolved in the incident was accidentally shot.

As with every post on this website, we are only providing information in this post and do not make any allegation or assertion that anyone acted inappropriately or engaged in misconduct.

–Guest Contributor