Police Officer Killed in Harris County

A Houston Police Officer was shot and killed earlier this morning while trying to serve an arrest warrant at an apartment building located at 5300 block of Aeropark Drive, in Harris County.

Officer William Jeffrey was declared dead at Memorial Hermann Hospital at Texas Medical Center. Sgt. Michael Vance who was with Jeffrey at the time was also injured but is reportedly in stable condition. The two were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on the gunman, who also was killed during the incident.

The tragic event comes just weeks after Texas’ new permitless carry law took effect. Many law enforcement leaders had already opposed the bill because they were worried it would lead to more gun violence and put more officers at risk.

According to Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, the law enforcement officers knocked on the door and asked a female resident about the man they were looking for. The suspect then came out and opened fire at them.

Witnesses in the area told the Houston Chronicle that they saw a few undercover officers come out after hearing gunshots and rushed to help their colleagues. One of them shot the suspect, who has been identified as Deon Ledet.

Court records show he had an arrest warrant since January, after being charged with possession of methamphetamines with intent to deliver.

The heartbreaking news of losing one of their own hit those in the police department quite hard, “Most of us knew him personally, I’ve known him my entire career,” Chief Finner said. “It’s just as his wife said — what a great man, what a great officer.”