Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Deputy Dhaliwal pulled a vehicle over during a traffic stop west of Jersey Village, which is in the northwest area of Houston. Gonzalez said the suspect shot Dhaliwal from behind, “at least a couple of times” in a “very ruthless, cold-blooded way” before taking off, according to KHOU, the CBS affiliate in Houston.
Crewmembers from the nearby Cy-Fair Fire Department performed CPR on Dhaliwal before he was taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A suspect is in custody and has been taken to jail, and a woman who is believed by HCSO to have been in the suspect’s car has also been taken into custody. KHOU reported shooting suspect has an open warrant for parole violation.
The shooting Friday happened in a neighborhood cul-de-sac in the 14800 block of Willancy Court at West Road. Once the shooting was reported, law enforcement officers from multiple agencies gathered at a nearby gas station to search for the suspect.
Dhaliwal was a 10-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and its first member of the Sikh community. Former Sheriff Adrian Garcia allowed him to wear a turban while on duty, as well as his beard.
Sheriff Gonzalez said Dhaliwal was a father of three children, and that the department is mourning Dhaliwal’s death as he is a member of their family.
“We ask you to support the family because they’re devastated,” Gonzalez said. “We’re a family. We’ll pull together during this difficult time.”
Gonzalez said Dhaliwal was “very respected” and a “leader in every sense of the word.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement that said the state mourns the loss of Dhaliwal and all officers lost in the line of duty.
“Today, Cecilia and I join Texans in mourning the loss of the Harris County Sheriff’s deputy who was shot and killed in the line of duty,” Abbott said. “It is with heavy hearts that we send our deepest sympathies to the deputy’s family, friends, and his brothers and sisters in law enforcement. This tragic loss is a grave reminder of the risks that our law enforcement officers face every single day. I thank the officers who bravely responded to apprehend the suspect, and I assure you that the state of Texas is committed to bringing this killer to justice. Cecilia and I ask all Texans to join us in praying for the family and the entire Harris County Sheriff’s Department.”
Other local law enforcement agencies announced their condolences for HCSO on Friday after the news of Dhaliwal’s shooting death.
