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Omar Hernando Hernandez

Age : 39

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 09/01/2021

Location : 1242 Mitchell Road

City : Houston

County : Harris

State : Texas

Agency : Harris County Constable Precinct 1; Houston Police Department

Officer(s) :J. White; five Harris County Precinct 1 deputies Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police after ramming vehicles

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 09/01/2021, 39-year-old Omar Hernandez Lazano was shot and killed by five Harris County Precinct 1 deputies and Houston Police Officer J. White after an approximately 20-minute police pursuit ended at 1246 Mitchell Road in north Houston. Later reporting sometimes shortened his name to Omar Hernandez.
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The incident began with a reported family disturbance at a church on Witcher Lane. Police said Lazano rammed several vehicles in the church parking lot and left before officers arrived. Authorities subsequently received a report that the same vehicle had been seen near Mitchell Road.
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Harris County Precinct 1 deputies later encountered Lazano driving a black Volkswagen Atlas SUV the wrong way on Hardy Road. Deputies initially suspected an impaired driver and attempted a traffic stop. During the pursuit, police checked the vehicle and determined that it had been reported stolen.
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Lazano continued driving away while Precinct 1 deputies pursued. Houston police joined the pursuit after deputies requested assistance. The chase lasted approximately 20 minutes and returned to the 1200 block of Mitchell Road.
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Lazano drove into the front yard of a residence. A Precinct 1 sergeant positioned a marked patrol vehicle to block the driveway. Police said Lazano rapidly reversed the SUV into the house with enough force that the rear portion of the vehicle entered the structure.
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As deputies surrounded the SUV, Lazano drove forward. Video released after the shooting showed the SUV striking a Precinct 1 deputy and dragging him approximately 20 feet before crashing into the marked patrol vehicle blocking the driveway.
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Five Precinct 1 deputies and HPD Officer J. White then fired at Lazano while he remained in the driver's seat. Lazano was struck multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.
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The gunfire also struck a Precinct 1 sergeant in the left leg with a ricochet. Body-camera footage captured the wounded sergeant falling and asking who was shooting him while other deputies yelled for the gunfire to stop. The deputy struck by Lazano's SUV survived after being transported by Life Flight in critical condition.
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Houston police subsequently released body-camera and Ring doorbell recordings showing the crash into the residence, deputies converging on the SUV, the SUV striking and dragging the deputy, and the ensuing police gunfire.
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The Houston Police Department Special Investigations Unit and Harris County District Attorney's Office investigated the fatal shooting. HPD also identified White as the Houston officer who fired. The five Precinct 1 deputies who fired were not named in the public HPD release.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Houston Police Officer J. White was the only shooting officer publicly identified in the records located for this update. The five Harris County Precinct 1 deputies who fired were not publicly named.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/chase-north-houston-officer-involved-shooting/285-fb3c21b3-11fe-41f7-81f4-3782e83b61db
https://www.houstontx.gov/police/nr/2021/sep/nr090221-7.htm
https://abc13.com/post/officer-involved-shooting-deputy-ran-over-bodycam-video-ring-doorbell/11068562/
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/bodycam-video-released-from-officer-involved-shooting-where-harris-co-constable-was-run-over