Houston police fatally shot Frank Ernest Shepard III Wednesday morning following a high-speed chase, local media reports.
The incident was caught on camera by ABC13 which was covering the chase via a helicopter.
“During the chase the suspect called 911 and was telling the dispatcher that he had a child in the car and that he would threaten to harm that child if officers attempted to pull him over or stop him,” said Deputy Thomas Gilliland, spokesperson for Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Shepard did not have a child in the car. After smashing into an oncoming vehicle during the police pursuit, Shepard got out of the car. That’s when police confronted him.
“He was given commands to show his hands and come out of the vehicle,” said Deputy Gilliland. “As officers approached after the initial contact of the wreck, the suspect exited the vehicle and stood up, came back towards the officers, then turned around and reached back inside the vehicle.”
“At this point, the top part of his body was hidden inside the vehicle,” continued Gilliland. “Fearing for their lives that the suspect was reaching for a weapon, two officers did discharge their weapon at the vehicle, striking the suspect and killing him.”
Shepard, a father of three with another child on the way, was 41 years old. Police did not find a weapon on his person. Shepard worked as a barber. He had a criminal history, which included a conviction for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and unlawful carrying of a weapon in 1991 and a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and escaping from custody in 1999. In 2011, he was charged with assaulting a coworker and in 2013 he was charged with assaulting a family member.
Following his 1991 conviction he spent five years in jail. There was a warrant for his arrest stemming from the 2013 charge. Family members believe that’s why Shepard fled police during the routine traffic stop.
The victim’s mother, Cheryl Shephard, spoke with her son shortly before he died.
“He said, ‘Bye, I love you.’ He just called to tell me he loved me,” she said. “I didn’t know what was going on at first. I told him I love him, what’s going on? And that’s when he told me that the police was chasing him, and then immediately I went to pray and said, stop please, stop,” she said.
Cheryl begged her son to pull over and comply with the officers.
“I told him to stop. Stop the car Trey. Get get out the car Trey please. Don’t do this please don’t do this baby,” she said.
Unfortunately, Shepard didn’t listen and Cheryl watched as police fatally shot him on live TV.
“They did not have to shoot him,” she said, with tears in her eyes. “They could’ve stayed in their cars and started running demands.”
Yes, it looks like another “Sewerside by Cop” situation. Actions of demented criminal-type are likely to end in termination if demands AT GUNPOINT are not obeyed.
Did anyone note the attitude of the parent?
“They did not have to shoot him,” she said…”They could’ve stayed in their cars and started running demands.”
“Started running demands”? WTF? This indicates to me a lack of parental monitoring and a woeful neglect of education, not to mention an onerous display of poor english…
Someone who might just be under the influence of:
1. children
2. drugs or alcohol
3. just a little bit nuts and/or stupid
may not be able to pick out which of the instructions the LEOs are yelling and screaming at him. He may want to ID himself so that they stop, not even thinking that the police are scared shitless that he may nave a gun or a knife in his back/or jacket pocket. The good Lord only knows that a law abiding person that has been taught that the officer is your friend might just reach into the glove box to hand the registration to the officer. This way he may feel that he doesn’t have to allow a search.
Look at the other side for once, LEOs are not always right and the public may just not know what to do.
“””Shepard, a father of three with another child on the way, was 41 years old. Police did not find a weapon on his person. Shepard worked as a barber. He had a criminal history, which included a conviction for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and unlawful carrying of a weapon in 1991 and a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and escaping from custody in 1999. In 2011, he was charged with assaulting a coworker and in 2013 he was charged with assaulting a family member.
Following his 1991 conviction he spent five years in jail. There was a warrant for his arrest stemming from the 2013 charge. Family members believe that’s why Shepard fled police during the routine traffic stop.”””
This was no ‘law abiding person’ trying to comply with police.
“”“He said, ‘Bye, I love you.’ He just called to tell me he loved me,” she said. “I didn’t know what was going on at first. I told him I love him, what’s going on? And that’s when he told me that the police was chasing him, and then immediately I went to pray and said, stop please, stop,” she said.””
This was suicide by cop. A yellow way to go, causing trauma to the victim LEO’s who are drawn into the conspiracy.
My prayers are for the Cops, not the Crook.
How about, he didn’t have to run from the law? He could’ve just stopped to begin with.
My advice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=9gCCjFbFXn8
I’m glad they Did kill this purp…. one less lawless idiot to deal with in ! One less mouth to feed in jail on my tax dime !
I didn’t read all replies here, but what I did read, I noticed no one seemed to mention the fact that he called his mother to say goodby – This was suicide by cop, pure and simple !
IMHO the police officer had a stroke of genius. Thought outside the “box” ended up ending what could have escalated to a standoff or suicide by cop to get a payout for the family. He did a great job, if the accident had killed him, again deadly force was already proven necessary. As it stands, no further gunshots, protecting the community, no standoff, no media event for his 15 minutes of fame, and no suicide by cop. GREAT JOB!
Another Felon commits suicide by COP he already basically said that was his plan to his mother. The officers did what they had to and why in the world would they stay in their squad? So he can shoot them where hey sit in the car?? Be real lady accept that your son was a worthless criminal who wanted to live and die his way and got his wish.
Where does anyone start describing this POS?
1. Always avoid following instructions of cops that have their weapons drawn and are willing to put a bullet in you quicker than white on rice.
2. Always lie about having a an infant in the car in the hopes that will save your sorry ass, never giving a second thought to that may be another reason to give the cops an excuse to splatter your useless brain all over the car.
3. Always blame the cops for doing what they are trained as opposed to putting the blame where the problem really lies. A complete toad once again not following instructions.
4. Last but not least Always make sure when a black is killed by white cops, the news gets top billing in the media.
5. Always spout out the usual meaning line of “Black Lives Matter”, and follow it up with “only when taken by a white”. Cause no one gives a crap about black on black violence, surley not the media.
Sorry for the blind love of a mother but the son had it coming.
Maybe the police should have given him a sack full of tacos and an escort to the next crack house…
I am usually not critical of the Cops but if you watch the beginning of this video, they missed half a dozen chances to box him in or spin his ass around on the open clear highway. Instead they all seem to lay back and follow him (like an OJ pursuit) where upon he entered a populated area and crashed into those poor bastards! Then they had to open fire on him with the other cars he crashed into still occupied. Luckily only tht POS was killed but containing him out on the expressway seems like would have been the smarter, safer move.
I thought the same, until I read that the guy claimed to have a hostage, which is why they did not perform any of the maneuvers yous mentioned.
Stephen, you should also check out Houston PD & Harris County’s pursuit policies. This is real life, not TV.
I’m a cop in TX. As far as I know DPS is one of the only agencies in the state still allowed to do a PIT maneuver & there is not a single agency in this state that I am aware of that allows their officers to box a suspect in during a pursuit. It’s simply too dangerous for all involved. Besides, with training budgets being slashed constantly, most officers get bare minimal training on driving. It sad since on patrol we spend most of our time in cars, but it’s assumed, since we’ve all been driving for a while, that we can drive. So again, other than DPS, most academies do a week, at most, on driving.
Like I said, look at the policies (they’re available online, it’s an open record) & remind yourself that even though this incident was caught on TV this is reality. Not a TV show, not a movie, and cops don’t find freaking fingerprints & DNA at every crime either.
An astonishingly small number of people, in fact it is nearly zero, get shot while complying with any law enforcement officer’s orders.
Don’t want to get hurt or shot by the police. DO NOT resist arrest, ALWAYS comply with the officers commands, ESPECIALLY if you feel the officer is wrong That is why there are lawyers 😉
Lastly and most important DO NOT attempt to flee unless you want to be tired when they put the cuffs on your dumb @$$
The comment by Petru mislead me (I know, I should have read it more carefully) into expecting to see the police order the suspect to get his license, but, really, there is nothing to indicate that–the suspect, after stopping and getting out of his car, immediately opened the back door (iisc) and reached in like he was after something. I don’t know if the shooting was captured on the video, as I didn’t notice any gun flash or signs of impact on the victim (but won’t go back to look more carefully).
That was a big mistake on his part.
Further, at that point in the encounter, the police would not be asking for a license–their first objective is to get the suspect under control, probably meaning down on the ground and in cuffs–then they might ask (or search him) for his driver’s license.
It is interesting that chases like this occur, apparently enough suspects manage to elude such chases (or create urban legends of such) that some people decide there is enough chance of success to risk running.
Policeman’s choice: Should he 1) enforce the law and serve justice, or 2) protect himself from a boogieman who might take up an imaginary weapon and kill me? Well there are at least 2 answers; one is by the cop who thinks that he or she is the center of the world and all important, and one by the policeman who knows the Constitution and what is at stake if we lose it because of his or some other cop’s behavior. ‘Nuff said. JWC
Hi JWC,
Obama and I need girls like you to head up a new Police force here in our new socialist country.
A force so inept we rival France’s incompetence in doing the job.
Please give me a call.
You have all “the right stuff” for us to succeed.
When are people going to take responsibly for there actions? Instead of blaming others. Stop being the victim.
I think one important point to remember is that when you exit a car and the Cop gives you a command to give him your drivers license as was done earlier this year in another incident, do not reach into your pocket, and above all if your license is in your car do not turn around and reach into your car. Simply tell the on edge cop where the license is and ask him to hand cuff you and he can get the license himself because the cop is on hair trigger and ready to start shooting you so do not give him an excuse to do so or make any movement that will set him off.
You are a complete idiot. Maybe in Eastern Europe they do that Petru, but as you see police shootings look up and see how many officers were killed in the line of duty and think about that.
Hope all those cops suffered before they died. . Shitbirds never did anything for me, just harass me.
they asked his mother if he could have done anything different,yes ,he could have stopped breaking the law.
“Break the law and go to jail,” has morphed into “break the law and be summarily executed.” Now that’s real progress. JWC
Oh poor poor black man, tan man, white man or whatever, don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time. The police did a great community service by saving the cost of a trial and incarceration for this loser.
Move to France.
This black man got what he deserved!!
Well, lets see here. First off he was a “Convicted FELON”, with a out standing WARRANT!!!!
I lost count of how many LAWS he broke during the chase ????????
SECONDLY, I dont believe the LEO’s were in the wrong or used excessive force!!!!!!!
THIRDLY,the LEO’s, should be commended for ridding the streets of another CAREER CRIMINAL!!!!!!!!
KUDO’S to the LEO
AND, LASTLY, where is AL ” THE WALKING TALKING RACE BAITING INCOME TAX EVADING TURD”SHARPTON, to sart SCREAMING,RACIAL PROFILING LMFAO
Yes, and all of these deserve a summary death sentence–no arrest, no trial, no judge, no jury of 12 peers, no evidence, no argument–just execute him. Isn’t this why the Founders fought the British, so they could get away from those due-process softies in England and bring a fast, bright, stern justice to the American shores? Thanks for giving Liberals another justification for taking away out guns. Very helpful. JWC
STFU!
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Once the guy was dead, they should have shot him 1 more time for me and 3 more times for the cars he hit.
Maybe throw in another mag and empty it, just to make sure the white car driver doesn’t have to pay any taxes toward this assholes jail life.
How’s that grab you, crybaby bitch libtard?
Suicide by cop. This wasn’t his first merry go round. He knew after setting the scenario up of having a hostage that if he did anything but hug the pavement he would be shot, and he did the worst possible thing, he reached back in the car. Any cop in his right mind would instantly think he was reaching for a gun. He wanted to get shot and the cops did him the favor.