HPD says officers shot, killed gunman on Houston's south side

KTRK logo
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Officers shoot and kill man in SE Houston
Officers shoot and kill man in SE Houston, Pooja Lodhia reports.

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police say two officers shot and killed an armed man on Houston's south side Saturday morning.

Police says the officers involved were wearing body cameras and they each fired multiple shots.

We're learning more about the man who died in an officer-involved shooting this morning

The shooting happened on Cullen near Ward around 12:40am. Officers say they saw a man with a revolver standing in the road. There were two officers in one vehicle and they asked the man to put the revolver down. Police say a witness also asked him to drop the weapon. Officers say instead of dropping the gun, the man raised his weapon pointing it in the air. He then lowered it and pointed it at the two officers.

Immediately after, HPD says they each fired multiple shots and he died at the scene.

A woman who says she's the man's wife identified him as Alva Braziel.

One of the officers is a 10-year veteran of the force. The other has been with the force for 13 years. As is routine following any officer-involved shooting, the officers will be investigated by internal affairs, along with Harris County.

A bystander, Eric Puckett, tells abc13 he thinks black men in the area are being targeted.

"It's like we got a target on our back even if we're innocent, it hurts," said Puckett. "You don't even want to walk outside your house any more. But to all the young black men and young black women out there, all black people, do something positive."

A nearby gas station captured the scene and police say the video will confirm what happened, along with witness testimony.

Police continue to investigate at the scene where a large crowd has gathered. We saw shell casings and the revolver among the evidence markers.

We talked to the area's city council member who says these issues need to be addressed in the community.

Dwight Boykins tells abc13, "The biggest gorilla in the room is very clear. We need to put officers in neighborhoods that reflect the neighborhood."

Keep checking back on this page to get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To get alerts for breaking news, download the ABC-13 news app for iPhone or Android. You can also get breaking news alerts sent to you by email.