A Harris County, Texas, grand jury has cleared a Houston police officer in the fatal shooting of an unarmed man in January.

The panel, which has been meeting for months, cleared officer Juventino Castro in the death of 26-year-old Jordan Baker.

Baker's death has gained national attention as an unarmed black man killed by police, a trend that has sparked protests and calls for body cameras on officers.

The officer, who was in uniform and had been on the force for 10 years, was working an extra security job at the location because the strip mall's businesses had experienced a recent string of robberies, according to the Houston Police Department.

Castro's attempt to stop Baker in the parking lot led to a brief struggle and foot chase, an HPD news release said. When Baker stopped running away, he reached into his waistband and charged the officer, police contend. Castro fired his gun once and struck Baker. The officer was not injured in the incident, police said.