Sheriff ’s deputy was shot 15 times
The suspect ‘unloaded the entire pistol’ in a deadly ambush near Houston, a prosecutor says in court.
A suburban Houston deputy who was ambushed at a gas station was shot 15 times, Harris County Dist. Atty. Devon Anderson said in court Monday.
Shooting suspect Shannon J. Miles, charged with capital murder, appeared briefly in state District Court in Houston in handcuffs and shackles and said little, other than to answer the judge’s questions. He is being held without bond. Two attorneys were appointed to represent him.
Anderson read the probable cause statement during the hearing, saying that police received a call of an officer down at 8:20 p.m. Friday. When police arrived at the gas station, they found Deputy Darren Goforth, 47, facedown.
Anderson said the suspect “unloaded the entire pistol into Deputy Goforth.” She also said that a witness saw the shooting and that the shell casings match the .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun found at Miles’ home.
Anderson would not comment on a motive to reporters after the hearing.
President Obama called Goforth’s widow to offer condolences, the White House said.
Obama said in a statement that he had promised Kathleen Goforth “that I would continue to highlight the uncommon bravery that police officers show in our communities every single day. They put their lives on the line for our safety. Targeting police officers is completely unacceptable, an affront to civilized society.”
Over the weekend, Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman said the attack was “clearly unprovoked,” and there was no evidence that Goforth knew Miles. “Our assumption is that he [Goforth] was a target because he wore a uniform,” he said.