Houston Officer Cleared in Fatal Shooting

Posted: August 28th, 2008 11:51 AM EDT

DALE LEZON Houston Chronicle

A Harris County grand jury decided Wednesday not to indict a Houston police officer in the fatal shooting of a man during a struggle at a southeast Houston apartment complex, law enforcement officials said.

Officer Shane Nash shot and killed Tarrance Alvin Brown, 30, after a chase and confrontation about 6 a.m. June 4 at the Pebblewalk Apartments in the 8500 block of Broadway. Investigators said Nash thought Brown was reaching for a gun.

"The grand jury heard all available (evidence) and made the decision to no-bill," said Donna Hawkins, spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

Investigators said members of the Houston Police Department drug enforcement team intervened when they saw Brown making what appeared to be a drug transaction with another person. Brown fled on a bicycle. Officers chased him and found him in the apartment complex parking lot.

Brown left his bicycle and ran into the complex, investigators said. Officers caught him, struggled to control him and one officer fired a Taser at him. Investigators said Brown pulled out the Taser darts, began walking away and told the officers, "You're going to have to kill me." Brown refused to surrender and then reached into his pants, police said.

Investigators said another officer saw what he thought was a pistol and yelled, "Gun!" When Brown began pulling out his hand, Nash fired two shots.

After he was wounded, Brown ran across Broadway to the Crescent City Apartments, where he collapsed and died. A resident there told investigators that two men searched Brown's pockets and ran away before pursuing officers arrived, police said.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service