Houston Officer Stabbed During Response to Mental Health Crisis

HOUSTON, Texas (AP) — A Houston police officer was stabbed in the head while responding to a mental health crisis call on Sunday night, authorities reported.

The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. at 300 Milam Street in Downtown Houston, close to the Theater District. Officers were called to assist a man in crisis, who was behaving erratically inside a CVS Pharmacy.

According to police, officers noticed the man’s unstable behavior and requested he step outside for further evaluation. HPD Chief Noe Diaz stated that the suspect became aggressive, leading the officers to attempt to detain him.

During the encounter, the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed Officer Joaquin Garza, resulting in a serious injury behind his left ear. The officers and the suspect struggled on the ground as they tried to disarm him.

Officer R. Perales then fired his weapon, hitting the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The Texas Institute of Forensic Sciences is working to confirm the identity of the suspect.

Garza was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital and has since been treated and released. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Both Garza and Perales, who joined the police force in June 2023, are members of the Downtown Patrol Division. Footage shared with KHOU 11 shows officers providing medical assistance to Garza immediately following the stabbing.

Houston Police Officers’ Union President Doug Griffith reported that Garza is in good condition, while Mayor John Whitmire expressed concern about the safety of officers, noting that this incident marks the second officer-involved shooting in Houston within a 24-hour period.

“It’s disturbing that we had two officers with life-threatening injuries,” Whitmire said on Sunday night. He emphasized that officers do not anticipate using their firearms but recognize the risks they take on the job.

Authorities are currently investigating the incident as part of standard protocol for officer-involved shootings.