Houston police said the deputy was asleep when gunfire entered his home early Sunday.
HOUSTON, TX — An off-duty Harris County sheriff’s deputy was seriously wounded early Sunday when a drive-by shooting sent gunfire into his north Houston home while he slept, authorities said.
Houston police are investigating the shooting, which was reported about 1:06 a.m. in the 200 block of Burress Street. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy, 40, was struck while in bed and that the case appeared to be a random act of violence. Family members, including children, were inside the home, but no other injuries were reported.
North Patrol officers went to the house after reports of gunfire and found the deputy inside with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, police said. Houston Fire Department EMS took him to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said later Sunday that the deputy was recovering and was in fair condition. The sheriff’s office said the wounded deputy is a three-year veteran assigned to its Patrol Division.
Authorities did not release the deputy’s name Sunday. Investigators also had not announced any arrests, a suspect description or a vehicle description. Police said the shooting was being handled as a drive-by attack, but the exact number of shots fired was not immediately clear. Officials said the deputy was off duty and asleep when the gunfire hit the home. Investigators were working to determine where the shots came from, how many rounds entered the residence and whether nearby homes or vehicles were also struck.
The shooting brought officers from two agencies to the neighborhood before dawn. Houston police are leading the criminal investigation because the shooting happened inside the city. The sheriff’s office identified the victim as one of its deputies and provided updates on his condition. The shooting took place in north Houston, in a residential area where homes sit near neighborhood streets that connect to larger roads. Officials did not say whether surveillance video had been recovered from the block or nearby businesses.
The case remained open Sunday as detectives reviewed the scene and looked for evidence that could identify the shooter or vehicle involved. No charges had been filed by Sunday evening. Police had not said whether the deputy’s law enforcement job was known to the shooter, and officials said the shooting appeared random based on the information available at the time. Investigators were expected to continue checking for shell casings, bullet impacts, witness statements and video that may show a vehicle leaving the area around 1 a.m.
The deputy’s family was home when the shooting happened, adding to the danger of the attack, officials said. Children were among those inside, but authorities said they were not wounded. The sheriff’s office described the deputy as a patrol officer with three years of service. Gonzalez said the deputy was recovering after surgery, a sign that his condition had improved from the first reports of serious injury. Officials did not release details about the surgery or say how long he was expected to remain hospitalized.
By Sunday evening, Houston police had not named a suspect or announced a motive. The next milestone in the case is the release of investigative findings, including any vehicle description, recovered video or charges if detectives identify the person who fired into the home.
Author note: Last updated Sunday, April 26, 2026.