Burglary suspect dies after Taser shock in NE Houston

A burglary suspect died early Monday after being shocked twice with a Taser during a struggle with police officers in northeast Houston.

The incident began about midnight with a burglary report from a home in the 9700 block of Galaxy, police spokesman John Cannon said.

An officer who responded to the call saw the man running from the home into a wooded area near North Wayside and pursued him, Cannon said.

The officer caught up with the man and was struggling with him on the ground when another officer, R.P. Johnson, arrived and used his Taser to stun the suspect, who was described as weighing at least 250 pounds.

"The suspect remained combative, rolling around on the ground," Cannon said. Johnson fired another Taser dart at the man, and the struggle ended, Cannon said.

Paramedics took the man, who was not carrying any identification, to Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital, where he was reported dead at about 2:25 a.m., Cannon said. Late Monday, officials still had not identified the man.

HPD homicide detectives and internal affairs officers classified the incident as an "in-custody death," he said. Since HPD began using Tasers in December 2004, officers have used the electrical shock devices about 1,600 times, Cannon said.

"Not one time has it been the official cause of death of a suspect at the hands of a Houston police officer," Cannon said.

The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death and whether the man was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

kevin.moran@chron.com