HOUSTON -- Houston police shot and killed a man who drove through a fence at the department's northeast command center and fired at officers, police told KPRC Local 2.

 

 

The man drove a Mitsubishi Mirage to the substation in the 8300 block of Ley Road, crashed through a gate and drove around a secure parking area at about 2:45 a.m., detectives said. The man tried to break through a second fence to get out, but was unsuccessful, officials said.

 

"The officers then see the vehicle pull in right near the sallyport, strikes a patrol car in the sallyport," HPD spokesman John Cannon said. "The male, as the officers are getting ready to approach the vehicle, the male comes out, emerges with a gun in hand pointing at the officers. At that time, six of our officers who were in and around the sallyport discharge their weapons."

 

The man, who was naked, died at the scene. His name has not yet been released.

 

Cannon said the man fired at least one shot before the officers opened fire.

 

"They had no choice," Cannon said. "They were basically covering for their other co-workers and the people they were arresting at the time. They had no idea what this guy was going to do."

 

Police have not said if the man was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

 

Investigators said earlier the man led Aldine Independent School District officers on a high-speed chase while holding a gun against his head.

 

"Minutes before the suspect came to the substation, we started receiving calls about a driver driving erratically," Cannon said. "An Aldine ISD officer tried to pull him over, but the driver sped away from him."

 

Cannon said police have the man's 9 mm gun in custody.

 

Even though police did not identify the man, Cedric Hillary said he is certain who it was.

 

"I'm still in disbelief about what happened," Hillary said.

 

Hillary and his family said that from seeing the car, the driver was his cousin, 29-year-old Tony Johnson.

 

The father of five, Johnson worked as a longshoreman.

 

Hillary last saw him around 10 p.m. Monday.

 

"He say he was going to the store to get some cigarettes, he'll be right back and he never did come back," he said.

 

Johnson had a history of depression. His relatives said a few years ago, Johnson tried to kill himself with a pistol-shot to the head, but survived.

 

His depression recently returned.

 

"He was kind of depressed about some things that was going on the last couple of days," Hillary said.

 

"I feel like they was afraid and they didn't know what was going on. I feel like he went there to get help. It was the wrong way, but he wasn't thinking," aunt Annette Prince said.

 

No officers were injured. All six officers were put on administrative duty for at least three days for their well-being.

 

Police said the following officers were involved in the incident:

 

• K. Eichman (sworn in December 2002)
• E. Fendia (sworn in January 2007)
• D. Marshall (sworn in November 2006)
• T. Reece (sworn in December 1993)
• N. Tovar (sworn in December 1995)
• D. Villarreal (sworn in June 2009)