Paper: Houston Chronicle

Date: Tue 07/08/2008

Section: B Page: 2 Edition: 3 STAR R.O.

Ax-wielding man shot in attack on deputies

By MIKE GLENN

Staff

Sheriff's deputies shot an ax-wielding man who officials said charged at them Monday while they were investigating a family violence report at a home in northeast Harris County.

The man was taken by helicopter ambulance in critical condition to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. Authorities had not identified him by Monday night.

An 11-year-old girl who lives at the home in the 1800 block of Charriton called 911 about 2 p.m., saying that her uncle was beating her mother.

Deputies removed the woman and her daughter from the house, but the man barricaded himself inside a bedroom.

The deputies "repeatedly asked him to come out of the residence (but) he would not," said Harris County sheriff's Capt. John Martin.

After about 45 minutes, the deputies moved inside the small, wood-frame home. They protected themselves with a ballistic shield after being told the man kept knives inside the bedroom, Martin said.

He lunged at the deputies while grasping a hand ax affixed to a 4-foot pole, Martin said.

"He was swinging this ax at our deputies," Martin said. "At one point, he tried to knock the shield away."

The man continued advancing after deputies fired Tasers at him. Two of the deputies then began shooting, striking the man several times, Martin said.

Local residents said the family moved into the area about seven months ago.

"He seemed like a pretty nice guy," neighbor James Gilbert said. "He was always smiling."

The woman was not seriously hurt, officials said.

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