Tidwell officer-involved shooting: Suspect charged, shot by officer
HOUSTON - Houston police have filed charges against the man involved in a police shooting on Thursday night.
Officials claim 36-year-old Christopher Michael Rodriguez, has been charged with aggravated assault of a public servant, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and felon in possession of a firearm.
On Thursday around 8:20 p.m., an HPD Officer Eakins arrived at 600 East Tidwell Road after he reportedly heard gunshots and saw a man, now identified as Rodriguez, armed with a pistol, running in front of a store.
RELATED: Houston police investigating officer-involved shooting on East Tidwell, suspect 'struck'
The officer gave the suspect commands to drop the firearm but Rodriguez allegedly continues to run in the opposite direction with the pistol still in his hands, officials say.
Officer Eakins says he demanded Rodriguez drop his weapon again and as Rodriguez turned with the weapon in his hand, fearing for his safety, Eakins shot his weapon several times, hitting Rodriguez.
According to officials, the 36-year-old was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
HPD reports Eakins was sworn in as an officer in November 2020 and was assigned to the North Patrol Division.
After an initial investigation, authorities learned Rodriguez's first gunshots were from an altercation with another male and he admitted to firing his pistol in the air just before officers arrived. He was charged in relation to the incident.
