A sheriff says police in southeast Texas are searching for an “armed and dangerous” man who shot and killed a police officer on the streets of Houston on Saturday night.
But there’s no sign of the suspect as of Sunday morning, according to Cecil Hill, the sheriff of Montgomery County. He said authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating Alfredo Juarez, who has a large criminal history in several states, including Texas.
Authorities say Hill’s deputy, Lance Goode, was shot and killed Saturday after attempting to confront Juarez outside a house about 8:15 p.m. local time, Hill said. Goode, 34, was a 13-year veteran of the department and a father of two.
In a statement issued later on Saturday, Goode’s mother, Mary L. Sauvageau, said Goode, whom she described as a devoted and devoted father and husband, died at the scene.
“He was a loving and dedicated husband and father of two small children who will be sorely missed by his family, our family and his many friends,” Sauvageau said. “He was my precious son, my son-in-law, my beloved husband, and my only child.”
Hill said Juarez fled from the scene in a dark-colored Chevy truck, leaving behind a large amount of cash and some “significant” items belonging to Goode.
Police say Juarez is about 6 feet tall, weighs about 250 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.
The sheriff said a second police officer, who was also shot and wounded, was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Juarez has been convicted in at least eight states for crimes ranging from burglary to attempted murder. He has been convicted in three Texas counties, the Times said, and remains a fugitive from the sixth, Sasser.
The alleged gunman has been arrested several times in Texas, but prosecutors have not filed charges in the deadly attack, according to online records of the Texas Department of Public Safety. At least one of the latest offenses against Juarez occurred in 2015, when he was charged with cocaine possession, according to officials.
During his rampage in Texas, Juarez allegedly killed a man and attempted to kill a woman before turning his weapon on Goode, according to online records from the Harris County district attorney’s office.
“As a result of this incident, we are seeking to charge the suspect with capital murder of a peace officer and attempted capital murder of a peace officer,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told reporters on Saturday.
Gonzalez said the department identified Juarez late Saturday, two days after the shooting, as its top suspect in the killing.
“The suspect has a large criminal history in several states, and we request for the public’s help in locating Alfredo Juarez,” the sheriff said.
In a Saturday evening press conference, Gonzalez said that Juarez could still be in the area of Ridge Point Drive and Lawrenceville Road.
“We are asking residents if they have seen this individual to immediately contact their local law enforcement agency to report his whereabouts,” the sheriff said.
On Sunday morning, the Texas Department of Public Safety said on Twitter that it had deployed additional resources to help with the search for Juarez. The department said the response was a precaution, adding that there was no indication that the community was in danger.
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