Suspect fatally shot by officer on Beltway 8

An officer-involved shooting along Beltway 8, between Bissonnet and Bellaire, nearly brought rush hour traffic to a standstill on Thursday afternoon. An officer-involved shooting along Beltway 8, between Bissonnet and Bellaire, nearly brought rush hour traffic to a standstill on Thursday afternoon. Photo: Jon J. Shapley, Chronicle Photo: Jon J. Shapley, Chronicle Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Suspect fatally shot by officer on Beltway 8 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

A man was killed in an officer-involved shooting on Beltway 8 near the Beechnut exit on Thursday afternoon, the Houston Police Department confirmed.

Harris County Constable Precinct 5 Deputy R. Felix was working traffic on the tollway, HPD spokesman Kese Smith said. He received a call from dispatch about a car with a large number of toll road violations.

Felix stopped the vehicle, a silver passenger car, and it pulled over to the road's left shoulder.

The car smelled of marijuana, the deputy told officials, and the unidentified driver didn't have a license or proof of insurance. During the traffic stop, the driver repeatedly reached on the floor of the car, digging through papers as if he was reaching for something, Smith said.

The deputy called for backup, opened the car door and told the driver to step outside the vehicle. The driver turned on the car, as the deputy told him not to. The deputy drew his weapon.

On-scene at West Beltway at an officer-involved shooting where we know a man is dead. We'll have more on @KHOU at 5 pic.twitter.com/oT4IKSHNcB — Lauren Tostenson (@LaurenTostKHOU) April 28, 2016

The suspect began to accelerate as the driver's side door of the car was still open. The deputy thought he might get run over, and held on to the door as the car traveled about 120 feet.

Officials say the driver reached for the deputy's gun. When the deputy felt the man's hand on his hand and gun, he fired his weapon twice. Backup hadn't yet arrived.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials didn't know if he had been shot once or twice.

Felix was treated for bruises, and was otherwise fine after the altercation.

Inside the man's car, officers found cash, an "old-style barber razor" and a bandana, Smith said. It was unclear if there was marijuana in the vehicle.

The HPD homicide division is investigating, as is the Harris County District Attorney's Office and the Precinct 5 Constable's Office.

Next to the scene of the shooting on the Beltway, two men approached officers and emergency responders along the shoulder. It was unclear if the two scenes were related.

Part of Beltway 8 was closed during the investigation. All southbound lanes of the Beltway near Bellaire Boulevard were reopened at about 8 p.m., according to TranStar.

The Chronicle's William Axford contributed to this report.