Suspects killed in Houston police shooting identified; 4 wounded officers recovering
Two suspects killed in a gun battle with Houston police were identified Tuesday while four wounded officers remained in a hospital.
The suspects were identified as Rhogena Nicholas, 58, and Dennis Tuttle, 59, according to news reports.
Two officers — ages 54 and 40 — were in serious condition on Tuesday evening, according to Houston police. Both of officers were shot in the neck, police said.
On Monday evening, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said this isn’t the first time the 54-year-old officer has been shot in the line of duty.
Two other officers who were shot are in good condition. One of them, age 50, was shot in the face and released from the hospital on Monday afternoon. The other, also 50, suffered a serious knee injury, police said.
The fifth officer, 33, was shot in the shoulder and released from the hospital on Monday night.
Acevedo said all the officers are undercover officers and he would not release their names.
The shooting happened in the 7800 block of Harding Street, in southeast Houston.
Acevedo said about a dozen narcotics officers and others in full uniform went to the home on Harding regarding an ongoing investigation involving the sale of narcotics. Shortly before 5 p.m. Monday, the narcotics officers attempted to serve a search warrant.
Acevedo told a news conference Tuesday that police knew black tar heroin was being sold at the property. He said officers found no heroin there Monday, but they recovered marijuana, an unidentified white powder and two rifles, The Associated Press reported.
As officers entered the home, one suspect opened fire, wounding four officers, two critically, Acevedo said.
The officers announced themselves as they breached the front door, Acevedo said. Uniformed officers in marked police cars also turned on their lights and sirens.
This story was originally published January 29, 2019 at 12:05 PM.
