A homeowner in southeast Houston shot and killed two men wearing ski masks and bulletproof vests who claimed to be police officers, Houston police said Friday night.
The incident took place around 11 p.m. at a home on Bellnole Drive near Galveston Road, according to the Houston Police Department and local reports.
Police said the men, who were not wearing official police gear or riding in police vehicles, tried to force their way into the home. They fired shots through the door before the homeowner returned fire.
The homeowner told police the men said they were law enforcement and claimed they had a warrant.
Lt. Khan of HPD said, “[The homeowner] became suspicious, because, you know, they have a ring camera too, and the suspects were saying they had a warrant, but it was just two people and they’re masked up and no police cars, no lights or anything like that.”
Both men were hit and died at the scene. The homeowner was not injured.
Police found the men wearing bulletproof vests and badges hanging around their necks but no official police cars or equipment.
“Thankfully, no one else is hurt,” Lt. Khan said. The suspects are believed to be in their 30s.
This shooting highlights a growing problem in Houston and across the country. Since President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration began, there has been a rise in attacks by masked men pretending to be federal agents. Many people have been robbed, and some women sexually assaulted by these imposters, who often claim to be ICE agents.
Authorities warn the situation is dangerous. If homeowners cannot tell whether masked visitors are real law enforcement, they may defend themselves — and actual officers could be shot by mistake.
Watch the update HPD gave at the scene via KHOU 11 below:
