Four Houston police officers were shot and a fifth injured while serving a search warrant on Monday afternoon.
Officers broke down a door at an alleged drug house in an attempt to arrest two reported heroin dealers. Instead, the two suspects opened fire on law enforcement, critically injuring two of the officers. Officers returned fire, killing the two suspects.
Houston police have identified the suspects as Rhogena Nicholas, 58, and Dennis Tuttle, 59.
A fifth officer wasn’t shot, but injured his knee during the operation.
The latest updates from the Houston Police Department indicate that the two officers are still in critical condition after both being shot in the neck, but were stable during surgery. One of those officers, who was the most senior member on the squad, has been shot while on the job twice since joining the force in 1984. When he was first shot, in 1992, the officer was shot in the cheek.
Another officer, who was shot in the shoulder, has already been released from the hospital.
On Monday, Houston Police Officers’ Union President Joe Gamaldi said the shooting caused officers to feel like they were “being targeted.”
“We are sick and tired of dirtbags trying to take our lives when all we’re trying to do is protect this community and our families,” he said. “Enough is enough.”
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This article appears in Jan 16-29, 2019.
