A Mesquite, TX, police officer was killed Friday in a shooting outside of an Albertson's grocery store. The suspect was critically wounded at the scene. Law enforcement believes he shot himself.
Officer Richard Lee Houston II was responding to a disturbance call Friday about 1:40 p.m. when he was shot twice and killed, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Officer Houston did not fire his weapon, police say.
Mesquite Police Chief David Gill described Houston as “a great officer, friend, father and husband.”
Houston was hired by the Mesquite Police Department on January 8, 2001. He graduated from Section 153 of the Basic Course in Applied Police Science was named Valedictorian of his class, CBS DFW reports.
Houston’s assignments included serving in the Operations Bureau as a Patrol Officer, on the SWAT Team for more than 10 years, and in Criminal Investigations handling Burglary and Theft, Homeland Security, and Juvenile/Gang cases. He also earned a Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Master Peace Officer License and Instructor Proficiency Certificate.
He received a Certificate of Merit in April 2021 for his heroic actions assisting the Garland Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety with the arrest of three suspects of a stolen car used in various crimes and he prevented a suicide attempt by one of the suspects during the apprehension efforts.
Houston's recognitions during his Mesquite Police Department career include:
• 48 Letters of Commendation
• 2 Life Saving Awards
• 1 Police Commendation Bar
• Citizens Police Academy Officer of the Month Award in August 2018
The suspect, Jamie Jaramillo, from Balch Springs, will face a charge of capital murder of a peace officer, police said. Police said he’s now in stable condition. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, the Dallas Morning News reports.
