Harris County deputies kill teenager who fired pellet gun after pursuit

Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies investigate a deadly officer-involved shooting near Stuebner Airline and Brightwood Drive on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies investigate a deadly officer-involved shooting near Stuebner Airline and Brightwood Drive on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. Photo: Jay R. Jordan Photo: Jay R. Jordan Image 1 of / 27 Caption Close Harris County deputies kill teenager who fired pellet gun after pursuit 1 / 27 Back to Gallery

Deputies shot and killed a teenager who fired a pellet gun at them Wednesday in northwest Harris County.

The incident began around 3: 50 p.m. when a deputy with the Harris County Sheriff's Office spotted a 17-year-old driver speeding around a stopped school bus on Stuebner Airline Road near Spring Cypress Road , according to HCSO Assistant Chief Tim Navarre.

The school bus was unloading students from a nearby school and had its red lights and stop signs activated, Navarre said.

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The deputy immediately turned on his emergency lights and sirens to pull the teen over, but he sped off, according to authorities.

Several more deputies joined the pursuit, which tore through a quiet neighborhood and eventually reached speeds of 70 miles per hour along Stuebner Airline Road.

The teenager, driving south on Stuebner Airline Road, made a U-turn near Brightwood Drive and crashed into a ditch, Navarre said.

Investigators have determined that the hand gun that a suspect fired at deputies this afternoon on Stuebner Airline was this 1911 replica carbon dioxide canister-powered BB/pellet airgun. #hounews pic.twitter.com/CMKcmb85Tu — HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) November 1, 2018

He rolled his driver's side window down, which is when deputies barked orders for him to show his hands.

Instead, he pulled out a pellet gun and began shooting pellets at the deputies.

Navarre originally told media that the teenager used a semiautomatic pistol. Late Wednesday, investigators stated they had determined that the hand gun was 1911 replica carbon dioxide canister-powered BB/pellet airgun.

Five deputies who were involved in the chase opened fire on the teen, killing him where he sat.

Deputies rushed to the car and pulled the teenager out of the driver's seat to see if he was still alive, but he had already died, Navarre said.

The teenager's identity was not immediately released, although investigators said they have already identified him. He had no criminal history and no active warrants.

Navarre was baffled as to why the teenager fled in the first place.

"We have no idea," Navarre said. "All he did was pass a school bus when he shouldn't have."

In all, the teenager pulled the pellet gun's trigger as many as eight times, Navarre said. Deputies fired "multiple" rounds, although Navarre did not have an accurate number when he spoke to reporters Wednesday afternoon. The teenager was hit several times.

Another teen, Jaleigh Sudberry, 17, had just gotten home from school. Her room backs up to Stuebner Airline Road, so she was within earshot of the gunfire.

"I was laying down, about to go to sleep," Sudberry said. "I thought I heard fireworks. People like to pop off fireworks on any holiday. I heard these popping sounds and then police cars go by."

She said she didn't know what to do when the gunfire erupted.

"I wanted to get up," she said. "You kind of freeze when you hear something like that. You don't really know what to do."

Sudberry only learned of what happened when her mother, Jamie Golden, got home.

Golden noticed the commotion along Stuebner Airline Road and pulled up just as deputies were examining her house for any stray bullets. They didn't find any.

"It's very sad," Golden said of the events that transpired 50 feet from her home. "I don't know if (teenagers like the suspect) are given love by their parents or being shown any attention. That's what we push really hard. You never know what that kid is going through."

Deputies had not searched the car as of 6:30 p.m. as they waited for crime scene specialists.

The chase happened right as severe storms were rolling through the Houston area. It was not clear if it was raining as police were pursuing the teenager.

HCSO's homicide and internal affairs detectives are investigating.

The identities of the deputies involved were not immediately released. None of them were injured in the shootout.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message