Death by Cop 2026
Search fatalities
You can use any or all of the fields to refine the search.
Mikayja Beck
Age : 16
Gender : Female
Race : Black
Date : 07/23/2026
Location : U.S. Highway 59 near Interstate 45
City : Houston
County : Harris
State : Texas
Agency : Houston Police Department
Officer(s) :Not disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : #1 Pedestrian killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 07/23/2026 at approximately 9:30 p.m., Houston Police Department officers responded to an Old Navy store in the 5000 block of Westheimer Road after receiving a report that four females had stolen merchandise and left in a dark Chevrolet Tahoe. Officers located the SUV near South Rice Avenue and Westpark Drive and attempted a traffic stop. The driver continued driving away while officers pursued. Police also tracked the vehicle using a GPS tracking device concealed within the stolen merchandise.
The pursuit continued onto U.S. 59 (Interstate 69), where the Tahoe collided with another vehicle near the State Highway 288 interchange. The SUV came to a stop, and all four occupants fled on foot across the freeway.
After crossing the northbound lanes, the group attempted to cross the southbound lanes of U.S. 59. A 15-year-old girl was struck by passing traffic and died at the scene.
Houston police arrested Deandra Mercedes Cooke, 30, who was charged with evading arrest on foot. A surviving 16-year-old juvenile was referred to the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department on an evading charge. The investigation remains ongoing.