Man impersonating officer shot and killed by deputies in Channelview

A man who told a caller he was a police officer was shot and killed by Harris County deputies after he produced a handgun and fired at them during a confrontation in Channelview, authorities said. The exchange occurred in the 15900 block of Ridlon Street near Sheldon Road after deputies responded to a suspicious-person call.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office field operations command reported deputies were dispatched at approximately 3:47 p.m. following a call from a woman who said a man was acting suspiciously and claiming to be an officer near her home. Two deputies located the man on Ridlon Street and repeatedly asked him to show official identification, but he could not produce any. The man was in plain clothes and not wearing a uniform, and the caller told deputies she had never seen him before.

According to the sheriff’s office, the encounter grew tense and the man became evasive. At one point he produced a handgun and fired at the deputies. They returned fire and struck the suspect. Deputies administered aid and called EMS, but the man died at the scene. Investigators estimate his age at about 50 years; formal identification and toxicology results are pending.

Neither deputy was injured in the shooting. Homicide and crime scene investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office are probing the incident and will forward their findings to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for review, the department said. The review by the district attorney is part of the standard process in officer-involved shootings in Texas.

For Channelview and east Harris County residents, the episode highlights risks tied to individuals falsely presenting themselves as law enforcement. Impersonation of a peace officer is a criminal offense and can create dangerous confrontations, especially when the person is armed. Neighbors who witness unusual behavior or are approached by someone claiming to be an officer without marked vehicles or clear identification are urged to contact dispatch and report details by calling 911.

Investigators have not released the suspect’s identity pending next-of-kin notification and formal identification procedures. The homicide probe will examine body-worn camera and other evidence as part of the packet that goes to prosecutors.

What comes next for residents is a review by the district attorney and continued work by HCSO to determine the full sequence of events. Community leaders and law enforcement officials say they will continue outreach to remind residents how to safely verify law enforcement identity and report suspicious activity along the Sheldon Road corridor.