HOUSTON, Texas — The night was winding down outside the 45 Norte Sports Bar off the North Freeway when everything changed for three Pct. 4 deputies who were working at the bar as off-duty security.
Scanner audio from Broadcastify.com gives insight into what happened.
“Two officers down. Two officers down," an officer shouted over the radio.
It was just after 2 a.m.
"We have two officers shot, one is in the back conscious and breathing, one is not conscious not breathing," an officer could be heard saying over the radio.
Two of the deputies were trying to arrest a robbery suspect outside the bar's parking lot.
“While they were trying to make an arrest of that suspect, they had him on the ground and a second suspect came out of nowhere with a rifle and began to basically shoot our deputies," Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said.
Police said two deputies were ambushed. The third deputy was running to help when he was shot too.
"We have three officers down, three officers down!" an officer shouted over the radio.
"Tom 36 is down, CPR in progress on him. Tom 15 is down as well," another officer said over the radio.
Dozens of officers responded to help.
“You’ve got two officers shot in the leg and one shot in the back. They’re asking for the freeway to be shut down," a dispatcher said.
The three deputies were rushed to the hospital, but sadly Deputy Kareem Atkins succumbed to his injuries. He was only 30 years old.
Deputy Garrett, 28, was shot in the back, and Deputy Barthen, 26, was shot in the foot. Both are in the hospital.
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Back at the scene, officers combed the area for the shooter and checked surveillance..
"He’s running southbound through the hotel!" an officer shouted over the radio.
Police took one man into custody.
“The individual that we see on the cameras, the surveillance cameras, we have in the back seat," an officer said over the radio.
But after questioning the man, police said they do not believe he was the shooter.
Houston police are still actively investigating and asking anyone with any information on this shooting to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.