HPD releases body camera footage from a tense December 1st incident on West Greens Road. An officer arrived to find a suspect holding an employee at gunpoint.
The Houston Police Department has released body camera footage showing the moment an officer shot an armed robbery suspect who was using a woman as a human shield outside a check cashing store on West Greens Road.
The video, released by HPD, captures the tense December 1 incident that unfolded at approximately 8:33 a.m. when an officer responded to a panic alarm call at the store.
The body camera footage shows the officer arriving within four minutes to find the store locked. Inside, a female employee can be seen walking toward the front door with a man in a hooded black poncho following closely behind.
Assistant Chief Yasser Bashir of the Houston Police Department said the suspect was holding the employee at gunpoint and using her as a human shield.
“That man, Paul Harvey McCoy Junior, had a gun to the woman’s back as they exited the store,” Bashir said.
“The officer gave commands for Mr. McCoy to show his hands. The officer then fired his duty weapon, striking Mr. McCoy multiple times.”
In the footage, the officer can be heard yelling commands at McCoy to show his hands before firing multiple shots as the pair emerged from the store.
After the shooting, the video shows the officer waiting for backup to arrive before approaching McCoy. The officer then places him in handcuffs and begins administering first aid. Throughout the footage, the officer can be heard trying to keep McCoy calm while waiting for medical assistance.
“I got you, bro. Help’s coming on the way, OK?” the officer tells McCoy.
McCoy was transported to the hospital by the Houston Fire Department and survived his injuries. He is currently charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.
Neither the officer nor the store employee were injured during the incident, according to Bashir.
