Man shot near Rice
Metro Police shot and killed a man carrying a knife last week just outside of the Rice campus. The police had been following the man after he became involved in an altercation at METRORail's Dryden/TMC station, south of campus. When he took off along the outer loop, Metro Police fatally wounded the man, Rice Director of News and Media Relations B.J. Almond said. According to the Houston Metro Police Department, the incident was the first fatal shooting in the history of Metro's law enforcement division.
Police told the Houston Chronicle that the suspect did not follow instructions given by officer J.P. Zepeda, and the suspect reportedly acted in a threatening manner. The officer first used a taser on the suspect but when it had no apparent effect, he called for backup, police said. After the suspect took off down Main Street waving a knife in the air, the officer followed him. Officer R.L. Harrington arrived on the scene and used his taser, again with no apparent affect, police told the Chronicle.
When the man began to lunge at the officers, Harrington fatally shot the suspect on the jogging trail outside of the Rice campus.
A female bystander sustained an arm injury from the shooting, but was treated by Rice EMS and was then transported to Ben Taub Hospital for further treatment.
"To avoid these situations, move together with a group," Rice Police Chief Bill Taylor said. "Using caution and being aware of your surroundings will help [students] avoid these situations the best they can." Taylor added that the Rice police were not involved, aside from helping to set up a perimeter after the situation had been resolved.
Police told the Chronicle that they are still assessing the situation, and will review what they can do differently in the future.
"The officers did what they were trained to do as we understand it now," Metro Police Chief Thomas Lambert told the Chronicle. "We look forward to supporting them through this process."
Neither the police, the man nor the bystander were affiliated with members of the Rice community. The Rice community was not at risk from this incident, Taylor said.
Rice students and faculty were notified via both text message and e-mail just before noon on the day of the shooting.
More from The Rice Thresher
Founder’s Court goes alt-rock as bôa kicks off U.S. tour at Rice
Founder’s Court morphed into a festival ground Friday night as British alt-rock band bôa launched the U.S. leg of their “Whiplash” tour. The group headlined the third annual Moody X-Fest before what organizers estimate was “a little bit over 2,000 students” — the largest turnout in the event’s three-year history.
Rice launches alternative funding program amid federal research cuts
Rice is launching the Bridge Funding Program for faculty whose federal funding for research projects has been reduced or removed. The program was announced via the Provost’s newsletter April 24.
This moment may be unprecedented — Rice falling short is not
In many ways, the current landscape of American higher education is unprecedented. Sweeping cuts to federal research funding, overt government efforts to control academic departments and censor campus protests and arbitrary arrests and visa revocations have rightly been criticized as ushering in the latest iteration of fascism.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.