STAGECOACH, Texas - A Texas police officer is accused of fatally shooting his brother, who was a deputy sheriff, during what may have been a welfare check.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office says 59-year-old Robert Lee was arrested early Saturday for the shooting death of his brother, 57-year-old Harris County Deputy Rocky Lee.
Robert Lee is a police officer in Stagecoach.
Sheriff's officials in Montgomery County say Robert Lee initially said he shot and killed a suspected burglar in his home. But detectives now believe Rocky Lee was checking on the welfare of his brother when he was shot.
People who live in and around the small community of Stagecoach have been driving on the small road past the home to see where the killing took place.
From afar, people looking for the house would not know the home on Singletree Drive was a crime scene hours earlier.
However, if they look closely crime scene tape can be seen tied to a pole, on the lawn and blocking the front door.
Joey Hinrichs said, “I’m real shocked this actually happened here in our city.”
His home is about 200 yards from where the shooting took place.
“First I heard sirens going everywhere and then helicopter hovering over my house and I figured there was an accident,” Hinrichs said.
He never anticipated something like this to happen in an area he said is close with law enforcement.
“The relationship we’ve got with law enforcement out here is basically they know everybody,” Hinrichs said. “They patrol the area around the clock. make sure it’s a safe environment and if you ever need anything you can call them. They’ll come to you as soon as they can get there.”
Authorities say both brothers were off duty at the time of the Friday shooting inside Robert Lee's home in Stagecoach. The town is about 33 miles northwest of Houston.
Jail records don't list an attorney for Robert Lee.
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