Burglary Suspect Dies After Shot by Officer

Updated: Tuesday, 22 Dec 2009, 9:29 AM CST

Published : Tuesday, 22 Dec 2009, 6:49 AM CST

ANDREA WATKINS Reporter

HOUSTON - A burglary suspect has died at Ben Taub General Hospital after being shot by a police officer in northeast Houston.

Police say the suspect was caught inside a house on King Street near Winchell Street.

The owners of the home contacted police and reported a burglary in progress on Monday night.

The residents had been away and when they approached the home at 10:30 p.m. Monday, there were lights on inside.

Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva says there were three suspects in the house who tried to escape from the home through a back window.

Silva says one suspect pointed his gun at one of the two officers who arrived to the home. The officer fired his weapon in response but missed the suspect.

When the suspect who fired the weapon pointed it toward the second officer, Silva says he was then shot.

The two other suspects ran away on foot, but officers with K-9 units found them a short time later.

Police did not say what, if any, charges that the suspects would face.

The Houston Police Department identified the two officers who discharged their weapons as R. Simpson and R. Watson. Silva did not say how the two officers have served in the department.