A suspect has been arrested after running into Wisdom High School located at 6529 Beverly Hill St. The incident prompted the school to go into lockdown. The Houston Police Department confirmed that at around 1:20 p.m. on Thursday, there was an officer involved shooting in the 6400 block of Westheimer near an apartment complex and a suspect was shot.
According to HPD around 11:45 a.m. a crime suppression team from the Midwest division was surveilling a group of violent individuals and sometime during the surveillance, gun fire was exchanged between an officer and a suspect.
HPD commanders & PIOs are en route to an officer- involved shooting at 6425 Westheimer. One suspect was struck. No officers hurt.
Prelim info is another suspect possibly ran into Wisdom High School at 6529 Beverly Hill.
No other injuries at this time. Please avoid the areas. pic.twitter.com/Mt09RZkNaO
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) February 2, 2023
Police Chief Troy Finner didn't confirm why the individuals were being monitored.
During a press conference Thursday afternoon, Finner confirmed there were a total of 3 suspects in custody. An 18-year old who was shot in the knee and transported to a hospital and expected to be ok. The second suspect is a 17-year old who was arrested at the scene of the shooting.
Police said the third suspect went into the school auditorium with at least 100 other students. Two of the suspects involved were students at the school. No students or staff were hurt.
"After the shooting, witnesses said the suspect got a ride from a citizen," said Chief Finner. "We interviewed that citizen, that citizen was just an everyday person who thought he was giving a kid a ride back to the school – he gave that kid a ride back to the school and didn't know he was involved in anything."
Chief Finner said it took everyone working together to keep everyone safe.
"I want to commend Wisdom High School, the principal, and all the administrators, our officers. Everybody commended the way that they worked with us really really quickly, and got this scene under control and got it safe for everybody," he said.
This is a notification for students and families of Wisdom High School. The school is currently on lockdown due to suspicious activity in the area. No one will be allowed in or out of the campus until the lockdown is lifted. Please await further communication to come momentarily pic.twitter.com/Bwq5uOoIYl
— Houston ISD (@HoustonISD) February 2, 2023
A gun was discovered close to the scene near the apartment complex where the suspect was arrested. HPD said they didn't find any weapons in the school but they will continue to search the campus. HISD immediately put the school on lockdown after being notified of the police chase and the suspect entering the school said HISD Chief Pete Lopez.
Finner said aggravated assault against a police officer is one the charges a suspect could face among others, but he did not have all of the details at that time.
Finner said the investigation is still ongoing and the District Attorney's office will investigate the shooting.