The Eyrie

HOUSTON, TX — Houston police are searching for a gunman accused of ambushing three Harris County Precinct 4 constable deputies outside a north Houston nightclub, killing one officer and badly injuring two others. The shooting happened around 2:15 a.m. Saturday outside the 45 Norte Sports Bar in the Independence Heights neighborhood.

Authorities say the deputies were working an off-duty security job when they went outside to respond to a disturbance that may have involved a robbery. Police say one suspect was being detained in the parking lot when another person emerged and opened fire with an AR-15 rifle.

The suspected shooter was still on the run Sunday afternoon, and police asked the public for help identifying him.

Deputies responded to what may have been a robbery before the gunfire erupted

Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief James Jones said the deputies stepped outside after noticing a disturbance near the club. Investigators believe the situation may have started as a possible robbery attempt before it escalated into violence.

According to precinct officials, two deputies entered the parking lot and began arresting a possible suspect. That is when a second suspect appeared and began firing, striking both deputies. Jones described the attack as an ambush, a characterization echoed by Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman.

Police have not publicly said how many people were involved in the initial disturbance beyond the officers and the detained individual. One person was taken into custody near the scene and questioned by detectives, but Houston police said that person is not believed to be the shooter.

Deputy Kareem Atkins died after the attack while Darrell Garrett remains in intensive care

The deputies shot in the attack were identified by Precinct 4 as Kareem Atkins, 30, Darrell Garrett, 28, and Juqaim Barthen, 26. Atkins died of his injuries. Garrett was shot in the back, underwent surgery and remains in the intensive care unit at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston.

Barthen, who rushed toward the gunfire after hearing shots, was hit in the foot. Officials said he had been employed by the precinct since September 2019. Atkins had joined in January 2019, and Garrett had been with the agency since March 2018.

Atkins had recently returned to work after paternity leave. Officials said he leaves behind a wife and two children, including a 2-month-old baby.

Police describe the suspect as a heavy-set bearded Hispanic man in his early twenties

Investigators say the suspect is described as a heavy-set Hispanic man in his early 20s with a beard. Police said he was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans when he fled.

Keith Smith, a Houston police spokesperson, said Sunday afternoon that a large search was still underway. Officers are asking anyone who can help identify the suspect or his location to come forward.

Houston police have not released a motive, and they have not said whether the gunman knew the deputies. The department is leading the investigation with help from other agencies as detectives work to determine how the attack unfolded and where the suspect went afterward.

Precinct 4 says the officers were more than coworkers to one another

Garrett’s fiancée, Lajah Richardson, told ABC station KTRK in Houston that the three deputies were close friends as well as coworkers. She said they called each other brothers and spent time together both on and off duty.

Richardson said she had not yet told Garrett that Atkins had died. She also said Garrett was conscious after surgery but had not spoken much.

Her comments reflected the personal loss felt inside the precinct, where the shooting has shaken colleagues and family members alike. Precinct 4 officials and Houston police have both described the attack as a shocking assault on deputies simply trying to do their jobs during an extra shift.

Officials praise bystanders and officers as the search for justice continues

Constable Mark Herman said he hopes the suspect is arrested quickly and faces justice for what happened to his deputies. He called the shooting tragic and said he believes good ultimately overcomes evil.

Jones said the violence left officers and investigators trying to piece together the moments before and after the gunfire outside the club. The fact that the deputies were working an extra job has also drawn attention to the risks officers can face even when they are off their regular shift.

As the manhunt continues, police are focused on finding the gunman and determining whether others helped him escape. For now, investigators say the case remains active and the public can still play a role in helping identify the suspect.