Left to right -
Captain Paul S. Cordova
Major T. G. Enloe
Deputy Lisa Heiden
Deputy Javier Urena
Greg Walker, Esq., ARM, CPP

An armed suspect approached Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Javier Urena from behind and fired an execution style shot at his head just barely missing. Deputy Urena’s quick thinking and immediate response resulted in a fierce exchange of gun fire and ultimately saved his own life.

On Saturday morning, July 21, 2007, Deputy Urena was off-duty at home in his apartment complex at 3777 S. Gessner. He had stepped outside to get an item from his patrol car when he heard the sound of glass breakage and saw a suspect run from a burglarized vehicle. The suspect jumped into another vehicle and sped out of sight. Deputy Urena then heard a loud crash and the sound of a woman screaming. He immediately retrieved his duty weapon and drove the patrol car toward the front exit gate believing he could get a description of the suspect’s vehicle before escape.

In the hurried effort to get away, the suspect had wrecked his vehicle and was stalled inside the apartment complex. When Deputy Urena drove upon the wreck he found the suspect and attempted to make an arrest. The suspect resisted and a struggle began. Two civilian witnesses came to his aid and held the suspect on the ground. Deputy Urena then turned to unlock his trunk to get handcuffs when he heard someone yell “Look out, he has a gun.” A second suspect had appeared and approached Deputy Urena from behind with a gun drawn.

After hearing the civilian yell, Deputy Urena’s immediate response was to lean to his right at which time he heard a loud gun shot and felt severe pain in his left ear. Realizing he was in a fight for his life, he turned toward the suspect and swung the handcuffs striking the suspect on the left side of the face as the suspect fired a second shot. Deputy Urena was then able to pull his duty weapon and fire two quick shots while the suspect repositioned and pointed his gun at Deputy Urena’s head. Deputy Urena’s reaction was to fall backwards toward the ground as the suspect fired a third shot. Deputy Urena returned fire as the suspect fled away.

Deputy Urena’s fall had caused him to strike the back of his head against the concrete. He was bleeding and in pain and felt as if he had been shot. He was unable to give chase and both suspects managed to escape. All in all Deputy Urena suffered powder burns and stippling to the left side of his face and upper body. His left ear drum was torn, his head was cut, and his lower back was in pain, but otherwise he was unharmed.

Both suspects were later captured as a result of follow up investigation efforts. The suspect who had fired the shots was found to have been shot twice by Deputy Urena, once in his right leg and once in his abdomen. He was charged with Attempt to Commit Capital Murder-Police Officer. The original suspect who Deputy Urena pursued was charged with Burglary of Motor Vehicle, Evading Arrest, and Escape.