A Houston Police Department officer is in the hospital recovering after being shot during what investigators describe as a road-rage incident Saturday night. The officer, identified as Jake Parker, was hit in the shoulder around 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of Gessner Road and Hempstead Highway as he drove in his personal vehicle on his way to work.
According to Chief J. Noe Diaz, Parker, who was in uniform but not wearing his bulletproof vest, got into a road-rage confrontation with another vehicle after exiting Hempstead Highway. The chief said the man in the other car “made a bad decision” by stepping out and firing into Parker’s car.
Parker didn’t hesitate. He returned fire, then drove himself to HPD’s Northwest Substation, where officers applied a tourniquet before rushing him to a hospital. Authorities say he is expected to survive.
Houston’s mayor, John Whitmire, joined Chief Diaz at a late-night press conference, stressing the daily danger officers face. He reiterated that the city stands behind Parker and will support him through his recovery.
Police quickly tracked down the suspect vehicle in southwest Houston. A man and two women were arrested, and a firearm was recovered. Investigators are still piecing everything together and have asked the public for any video or eyewitness accounts.
Inside the hospital, Assistant Chief Yasar Bashir said Parker was in “high spirits,” and that his courage under fire exemplifies what it means to serve.
The investigation remains active. HPD is examining surveillance and traffic-camera footage from the area, along with witness tips, as they work to fully understand how a routine commute turned into a life-threatening attack.
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