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Roy Cravin

Age : 54

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 08/28/2022

Location : 5757 Holly Street / 8020 Dunlap Street

City : Houston

County : Harris

State : Texas

Agency : Police department

Officer(s) :Scott Mills, Fernandez-Portillo

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police after setting fires

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/28/2022, Houston Police Department Officer Scott Mills shot and killed 54-year-old Roy Cravin after police and firefighters responded to a fire and mass shooting at a multi-room rental property in southwest Houston. Police alleged that Cravin set fires at the property and shot residents as they fled, killing three men and wounding two others before his confrontation with police. Cravin’s identity and age were confirmed after the initial reporting, which had described him only as a Black man believed to be in his 40s.
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Police and firefighters began receiving calls shortly after 1 a.m. concerning a fire, gunfire and people down at the rental property at 8020 Dunlap Street. Houston Fire Department personnel arrived while gunfire was still occurring and took cover. Police Chief Troy Finner initially said it was unclear whether the gunfire was specifically directed at firefighters.
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According to police, Cravin had been a longtime tenant at the property and had recently been told he would be evicted. Police alleged that he deliberately set fire to portions of the property and then waited for residents to emerge before shooting at them with a shotgun. The property owner later said Cravin had lived there for approximately nine years and had not previously caused problems. The owner said Cravin had fallen behind on rent and was facing eviction.
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Three residents were killed. They were later identified as Dan Schupbach, Donald Lee Hall and Morris Washington. Schupbach died from a shotgun wound to the abdomen. At least two additional residents suffered gunshot wounds and survived. Another resident, Michael James, described being shot in the arm and back after seeing the fire and attempting to report it.
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Houston police arrived while the incident was still active. Officers located Cravin lying prone on the ground beside a building across the street from the burning property. Police ordered him to show his hands. According to HPD, Cravin instead pointed a shotgun toward officers. Officer Scott Mills then opened fire, striking Cravin.
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Cravin died at the scene. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences subsequently determined that he died from multiple gunshot wounds, establishing that his death resulted from police gunfire rather than a self-inflicted wound or another cause.
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Investigators recovered a shotgun associated with Cravin, and a spent shell casing was reportedly found near his body. The available reporting does not establish that Cravin fired at Mills immediately before Mills shot him; HPD alleged that Cravin pointed the shotgun at officers. Earlier reporting likewise left uncertain whether Cravin had intentionally fired toward the firefighters or whether they were simply endangered by gunfire occurring as they arrived.
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The shooting was investigated by the Houston Police Department Special Investigations Unit and Internal Affairs Division, with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office also reviewing the incident. Mills was placed on administrative leave following the shooting.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
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Scott Mills was a Houston Police Department officer assigned to the South Gessner Patrol Division. He had been sworn into HPD in December 2015 and had approximately seven years of service when he killed Cravin. Mills was specifically identified by HPD as the officer who fired the fatal shots.
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No reliably documented prior fatal police shooting or significant substantiated misconduct involving Mills was located.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2022/08/28/suspect-shot-by-officers-near-sw-houston-home-confirmed-fatalities-reported-police-say/
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https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/evicted-houston-shooter-fire-17406956.php
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https://cityofhouston.news/investigation-into-armed-suspect-fatally-shot-at-5757-holly-street/
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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/houston-mass-shooting-suspect-roy-cravin-shot-17412341.php
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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-police-reveal-more-details-in-mass-17404882.php
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https://abc13.com/suspect-killed-houston-police-officer-shoots-gunman-man-sets-fire-to-lure-neighbors-deadly-shooting/12174706/