Police Officer Shoots, Kills Man Armed With Hammer

Local News POSTED: 6:49 am CST January 8, 2007

UPDATED: 11:23 am CST January 8, 2007

HOUSTON -- A man was shot and killed after police officers were unable to subdue him when they tried to arrest him Sunday afternoon, officials told KPRC Local 2.

Houston police said they were called to a family disturbance at a home in the 5000 block of Curtin Street near Delmar Street in southeast Houston at about 3:15 p.m.

Officials said Jose Valle told officers that his son, Omar Esparza, was threatening his 14-year-old sister with a hammer.

Valle said he told officers that Esparza, 21, was mentally ill and asked officers not to hurt his son.

"If he would have known what they were going to do he would have tried to take care of it himself," neighbor Jaime Ybarra said.

Police said Esparza threatened them with the hammer.

"He charged at the officers," Officer Gabe Ortiz said. "The first officer discharged his soft-impact weapon approximately three times and struck the suspect twice to no effect."

Officials said the soft-impact weapon was a beanbag gun.

"The second officer then discharged his Taser with no effect on the suspect again," Oritz said. "The third officer then, after the suspect charged the officers again with the hammer still in his hand, discharged his duty weapon."

Esparza died from his wounds, police said.

Valle said he just wanted officers to take his son in for a mental evaluation.

The officer who shot Esparza has been placed on desk duty as per standard procedure, police said.

 

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