Deputy fatally shot at intersection while driving to work, police say

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas police deputy driving to work in his personal vehicle was fatally shot Tuesday by a man who approached his car at a Houston intersection and fired multiple shots, police said.

A suspect in the shooting then led authorities on a chase that ended about 60 miles (97 kilometers) away in the waters off Galveston, where the man tried to swim away to evade arrest before being captured with the help of a marine unit, according to the Port of Galveston Police Department.

The deputy was identified as Maher Husseini, who had worked as a Harris County police officer since 2021. Investigators were still trying to determine a motive for the shooting and whether the deputy was targeted, Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz said.

Police are investigating whether it could be a case of road rage, he said.

“It’s a terrible thing for the community, for someone to lose their life, someone who dedicated their life to public service,” Diaz said. “It’s absolutely tragic.”

Initial reports indicate Husseini was not wearing a uniform when he was shot, Diaz said. Bullet holes were visible through the passenger side window of an SUV at the scene.

Husseini was taken to a Houston hospital where he was pronounced dead, Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said.

Authorities did not immediately release the name of the suspect in custody Tuesday night. In a statement, Galveston Port Police said the man led police on a chase that ended in a crash, and then swam away.

Officers later found the suspect in the water and took him into custody. He was taken to hospital for treatment, police said.

“The dangerous criminal who ambushed and murdered Deputy Husseini will face the full force of the law,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.

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