Dashcam video shows robbery suspect opening fire on deputy constable in NW Harris County
The Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office released a short video showing part of a shootout at the end of a chase in the Klein area.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Newly released video showed the moment a Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office deputy constable was shot by a robbery suspect last Friday in the Klein area.
Constable Mark Herman said Deputy Constable Deteryon Fontonet was shot in the incident but was released from the hospital the same day. Fontonet was struck by bullet fragments in three different locations on his body.
The video
In the video, Fontonet can be heard issuing commands to the suspect, identified by authorities as Danthony Simms-Coleman. He tells Simms-Coleman to step toward him and put his hands up, but Simms-Coleman instead reaches inside the truck he was driving and grabs a gun.
The video flickers a bit, but gunfire is heard and Simms-Coleman is then seen running between houses while firing several shots back at Fontonet.
The video below is the exact video that was sent to KHOU 11 News from the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office. The video freezes just before the initial shots are fired and then catches up as Simms-Coleman is seen ducking near the truck and then running to the left of the screen with his gun raised and firing shots back at Fontonet.
[video_shortcode_youtube src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HIH03dydbzQ?rel=0" itemprop="image" content="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HIH03dydbzQ?rel=0" data-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HIH03dydbzQ?rel=0"]
What happened
According to Herman, deputy constables responded to robbery calls at two Academy stores -- one at Willowbrook Mall and another on Kuykendahl near the Grand Parkway. They said callers told them a suspect entered with an AR-15 and robbed them.
According to Herman, Fontonet spotted Simms-Coleman, 23, who led him on a chase that came to an end on Slashwood Lane, which is in a neighborhood near the intersection of Louetta and Kuykendahl. Herman said other responding units were also on their way to the neighborhood, but Fontonet initially engaged Simms-Coleman alone.
That's when, according to Herman, Simms-Coleman opened fire on Fontonet, who retreated and took cover behind a vehicle.
Herman said Fontonet was lucky that he was only struck by bullet fragments and didn't take a direct hit.
More deputy constables arrived and Simms-Coleman ran between houses, dropped his gun, and surrendered. Herman said Simms-Coleman went to the neighborhood because he had family members who lived there.
According to court documents, Simms-Coleman was charged with aggravated assault of a public servant.
Here's the update Herman provided at the scene of the shooting:
[video_shortcode_youtube src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X_HibS3lGyQ?rel=0" itemprop="image" content="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X_HibS3lGyQ?rel=0" data-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X_HibS3lGyQ?rel=0"]