A routine traffic stop in southeast Houston turned violent today when the driver suddenly pulled out a weapon and was fatally shot by the officers, police said.
After noticing that the car's temporary license plate was not visible, Houston police pulled over the driver about 5 p.m. in the parking lot of a strip shopping center in the 3300 block of Telephone Road.
The driver, who has not been identified, was holding a pump-action shotgun when he got out of the car, police said.
"The officers told the suspect to drop the gun several times," said HPD Capt. Dwayne Ready. "The suspect refused (and) both officers discharged their weapons."
The man was pronounced dead at the scene. HPD officials could not confirm reports that he fired the shotgun at the officers before he was killed.
The officers, both assigned to the HPD southeast patrol division, were not injured, police said.