Houston officer shot while responding to parking lot dispute

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston police officer was critically wounded Monday when a man opened fire after an argument with a woman over a parking spot, police said.

Police Chief Troy Finner said the officer, an 11-year veteran of the department whose name has not been released, was hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Officers were responding to a disturbance call at an apartment complex, Mayor Sylvester Turner said. Finner said the officers spoke to a woman who said a man at the complex had spit in her face during a dispute over a parking space.

The officers then went to the man’s apartment to get his statement. At some point while they were at the door, the man “starts firing upon one of our officers,” Finner said.

The man fired multiple times, wounding the officer in the arm, said Finner, who added that he believes the officer’s bulletproof vest protected him from a shot to the abdomen.

The other officer used his hands to take the 26-year-old suspect into custody, Finner said.

Neither officer fired their weapons, he said.

Finner said he would review the officer’s body-worn camera.