Deputy shoots and kills inmate after scuffle over gun in hospital room, HPD says

Officials said a fight broke out between the inmate and the deputy who was watching him at the hospital
By Chaz Miller
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KINGWOOD, Texas (KTRK) — An inmate is dead after being shot by a San Jacinto County sheriff’s deputy at HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood hospital.
The shooting happened around 9 p.m. Monday at the hospital off I-69 in Kingwood, near the Montgomery County line.
According to the Houston Police Department, which is the investigative lead into the deadly shooting, the man who was killed was an inmate with San Jacinto County. He had been a patient at the hospital since Sunday and was being watched by the deputy who shot him.
Officials said a fight broke out between the inmate and the deputy, and the inmate reached for the deputy’s weapon.
That’s when the deputy fired multiple shots, according to HPD. Hospital personnel immediately provided medical aid, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The inmate’s sister spoke to news crews at the hospital overnight.
“An incident happened yesterday which left him in custody with San Jacinto County, and we had no idea they brought him here to this hospital. But since he’s been in this hospital, the next thing we know, he said everything was going good when we called, and then next thing, about 10 o’clock, we got a phone call saying that he had been shot,” Sherree Brooks said.
Brooks said law enforcement hasn’t given her any answers as to what happened to her brother, and they told her they would call her Tuesday afternoon.
HPD said the deputy who fired the shots has been with SCJSO for about five months.
It’s unclear what charges the inmate was facing that left him in custody to begin with.
HCA released the following statement about the shooting:
“We are aware of an incident that occurred on the campus of HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood involving law enforcement. The safety of our patients, colleagues, and visitors remains our top priority. We are cooperating with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. Any further inquiries regarding the incident should be directed to the appropriate authorities.”
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