Death by Cop 2021-2025
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William Sparkman
Age : 23
Gender : Male
Race : White
Date : 07/31/2024
Location : East Boulevard and East P Street
City : Deer Park
County : Harris
State : Texas
Agency : Deer Park Police Department
Officer(s) :Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during disturbance call
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 07/31/2024, Deer Park Police Department officers responded to reports of a man behaving erratically near the intersection of East Boulevard and East P Street. Witnesses reported that 23-year-old William Sparkman had been banging on vehicle windows, kicking cars, and was carrying two knives. When officers arrived, Sparkman was lying in the roadway at the intersection.
According to investigators, officers attempted to de-escalate the situation and deployed Tasers, but the attempts were unsuccessful. Police stated that Sparkman then advanced toward officers while holding knives. Officers fired their weapons, striking Sparkman. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation into the shooting. The involved officers were not publicly identified. Body-worn camera footage was later released by Deer Park Police Department.
Sparkman's family said he had a long history of mental illness and that they had repeatedly tried to obtain help for him before the fatal encounter. They said the mental health system had failed him and questioned why the encounter ended in the use of deadly force, stating that "there is a better way" to respond to people experiencing a mental health crisis.
