Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman reported on Tuesday afternoon that a deputy who was shot in the early hours of April 17 while taking care of a domestic disturbance call in the Atascocita area was “in stable condition.”
Herman provided the information during a press conference held at 3:30 p.m. at his Humble office and detailed that the doctors who are treating deputy Christopher Gaines told him around 2:00 p.m. they had removed all the pellets they found on his legs.
The Orthopedic Surgeons just finished a 3 hour successful surgery on Deputy Christopher Gaines at Hermann Hospital Downtown. The next surgery has started.
God is Great ! Please continue your prayers for Deputy Gaines.— Mark Herman, Harris County Constable Precinct 4 (@Pct4Constable) April 17, 2018
As for the suspect, major Jesse Razo, with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) –which has taken over the investigation of the incident– detailed his name is Wesley Smith and is 31 years-old.
Herman said during the press conference that, at that time, Smith was still alive.
Both deputy Gaines and Smith were being treated at the Memorial Hermann hospital located in downtown Houston.
Herman detailed his deputies received a call that had been made to 911 about a man who was threatening with killing himself.
According to the constable, the deputies were waiting for about 20 minutes before the suspect came out with a weapon.
“They never had any interaction with him. They kept knocking at the door and, actually, the deputies kind of felt that they were at the wrong location,” noted Herman, who added that when Smith came out “it kind of caught them off guard.”
The constable specified that a total of six deputies were on the scene and four of them discharged their weapons.
“We were told the suspect sustained 22 entry and exit wounds from the return gun fire of four deputies during the gun fight,” Herman commented on a news release posted on Facebook around 8:35 a.m.
Another deputy, whose last name is Faniyi, was struck in the head. Deputy Faniyi was transported to a hospital in Humble and received nine stitches on his head.
A third deputy who took evasive action received minor injuries. He was also evaluated and released from a Humble hospital.
Major Razo said four counts of aggravated assault have been filed against Smith.