Texas Deputy Killed While Pumping Gas; Shot from Behind and on the Ground Multiple Times

A sheriff’s deputy in uniform was shot and killed Friday night while filling up his patrol car at a suburban Houston gas station, according to authorities. Police are searching for the suspect.

A male/black subject was arrested and charged after being apprehended early Saturday morning as a suspect in Friday night’s shooting death of a Harris County deputy. The Harris County Sheriff’s is investigating whether the suspect was motivated by anger over past killings of black men by police across the United States that have spawned the “Black Lives Matter” protest movement.

At a press conference Saturday afternoon, Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman announced that Shannon J. Miles, 30, was arrested and charged with capital murder. Police, acting on a tip, converged on a home on Crystal Lake in Copperfield at about 2:30 a.m. A red pickup truck in the home’s driveway was an important part of the initial investigation. Miles was found inside the house where the pickup truck was parked. The truck was towed as evidence to a police holding area.

Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth, 47, was killed in cold blood at a northwest Harris County gas station. He had completed work at an accident scene at about 8:30pm, then went to a gas station on Telge and West Road. As Goforth was pumping gas, detectives say Miles approached him from behind, said nothing and fired multiple shots. After Goforth was wounded and fell to the ground, detectives say Miles fired more shots. Deputy Goforth was pronounced dead on the scene.

The sheriff’s office has reported that a security video retrieved from the gas station show that other individuals drove up to the gas station while the shooting occurred. Any possible witnesses have been asked to report what the saw to law enforcement.