Community Chat

[MorningLover]

Grocery shopping turns fatal after off-duty officer killed in front of wife

An off-duty Texas deputy sheriff has been killed in a shooting on the northern outskirts of Houston when he interrupted three men apparently trying to steal the catalytic converter from his vehicle, authorities said.

Deputy Darren Almendarez, 51, was fatally shot Thursday night in a grocery store parking lot, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

Deputy Almendarez was shopping in the grocery store with his wife to prepare for his sister's birthday celebration which was planned for Friday.

Her actual birthday was Thursday, the day he was shot and killed.

"He was cleaning up the house. He was very happy. He was working tirelessly today to get preparations for the party," said Sheriff Gonzalez.

Deputy Almendarez and his wife were walking to their car from the store when he saw two men under his truck allegedly attempting to steal the vehicle's catalytic converter, authorities said.

Almendarez told his wife to run.  As he approached his truck the suspects began firing at him, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Almendarez returned gunfire, striking two of the suspects, before they fled the parking lot in a car.

The deputy was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead from his gunshot wounds. Almendarez's wife was not injured.

The two suspects wounded in the exchange showed up at the same hospital in the suspect's vehicle later that night in stable condition, authorities said.

The suspects -- Joshua Stewart, 23, and Fredarius Clark, 19 -- have been charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Almendarez, authorities said Friday.

A third suspect sought in the incident, 17-year-old Fredrick Tardy, was arrested and charged with capital murder.

Almendarez was a 23-year veteran of the agency and had served in the automobile theft unit for the past year, Gonzalez said.

"Heartbreaking," the sheriff said after the deputy was identified.

Almendarez "loved being a deputy" and was an "outstanding member" of the agency.

"A remarkable man and public servant. Humble beginnings, grew up in Second Ward and played sports at Settegast Park," Gonzalez said on social media.

"From his first job as a teen at Whataburger on Harrisburg to fulfilling his goal of being a cop."

[Porcelain]

Gunfights are more and more common in Texas. It's very sad. And it will only get worse. Nothing can be done about it.

[OneHappyHiker]

@MorningLover Thank you for posting this and a picture. This is so very heartbreaking and sadly becoming more and more common each day. All of this violence will stop once (if) people value life more than the reason they decided to kill another human being. Gun violence, stabbings, running over people with vehicles all contribute to these deaths. Nightly news is becoming more like reading the local obituary than actual news. I don't know what has happened to morality. It's so very sad.

[mamaslittlepotato]

So sad 🥲

[Kachina624]

We have a guy who posted on our NextDoor app, that he went into a supermarket for about 20 minutes.  When he returned to his car, the catalytic converter had been stolen.  They are a hot commodity nowadays containing valuable metals worth about $300.

My husband was a Harris County Deputy Sheriff.

[Snowpuppy]

Sign of the economy. Was common when I lived in Detroit and the economy went south in 08-09.

Without providing details, some converters worth more than others at the junk yard.

[phoenixbrd]

Yes, this will get worse until something is done about it.. So tragic for this family and our country.  

[Marp]

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@Porcelain wrote:

Gunfights are more and more common in Texas. It's very sad. And it will only get worse. Nothing can be done about it.

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@Porcelain, more accurately nothing will be done about it.

[Sooner]

Crooks, criminals and low-lifes who are not in jail are the problem.

[SharkE]

They would have gotten out in 30 minutes probably still will.