Interrupt a sheriff's deputy's beer? Prepare for a hailstorm of lead!

Houston Press ^ | February 5, 2004 | Richard Connelly

[Dog Gone]

When Harris County sheriff's deputies return fire, they really return fire. Especially if they're at a bar.

The December 27 drive-by shooting at the venerable West Alabama Ice House didn't get much notice from the media, it being just another bit of the gunplay that tends to liven up a night on the town here.

But gee, it sounds like it was fun.

Three off-duty deputies were at the icehouse about midnight, and things seemed quiet enough. Then a 1992 Ford pickup truck screamed down the street, with two twentysomethings in it, one of whom started firing a .22-caliber pistol.

The cops tried to get the license plate but couldn't, so they settled back to their table. Soon they heard the telltale sounds indicating the truck was about to make a second pass. "By that time the guys had loaded up and said, 'If he comes back again, forget about it, we're returning fire,' " says Burt Springer, the lawyer representing two of the deputies.

And did they ever. Somewhere around 40 shots' worth. Investigators reportedly ran out of the little markers used to identify spent shell casings and had to borrow paper cups. Basically, Springer says, the deputies emptied their guns.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but…all the shots missed. The truck was shot up like Swiss cheese, but neither the driver nor the trigger-happy passenger was hit. They were stopped a mile or so later -- not because they were driving a truck riddled with bullet holes, but because they ran a red light.

(Deputies do have to keep up their target-shooting qualifications in Harris County, but those tests are not taken in bars.)

Sheriff's spokesman Lieutenant Robert Van Pelt says the department's internal affairs division is still looking into the incident, but Springer thinks nothing will come of it. Since no one was hit, the district attorney's office did not send anyone to the scene, making a grand jury review more unlikely.

Springer says the deputies had been at the bar only a short time and weren't drunk. Not that it would matter: "Even police officers who've been drinking are allowed to defend themselves," he says.

If only they could aim.

[Flipyaforreal]

"It's a pity somebody couldn't have put a stop watch to my cousin and me because I'm sure we broke several records in the sprint and hurdle categories."

LMAO!!

[weegee]

Just... Damn!

[taxcontrol]

Back in my high school days, my neighbor had a hobby auto/sheet metal shop in his back yard. Just for grins, he used a car leaf spring to make a 400 lbs pull cross bow. He then tested it by firing a sharpened pencil through a car door.

We learned two things that day. 1) even though pencils can penetrate a car door, there is not much left afterward and 2) 400 lbs crossbow tend to tear up the 4X4 used for the stock.

Great fun for about 10 min though :-)

[taxcontrol]

Down it Texas, having your truck shot is like Swiss cheese will hurt more than the jail time.

[Squantos]

LMAO.....Yep......that SSS rule has it's merits !

Stay Safe !

[HennepinPrisoner]

Houston is part of Texas.

Not since the 80s....looking around the city now you would definitely think it was part of Me-hee-co.

[Allegra]

It means we don't put up with the crap the rest of you people do. Hmmmmmmmmm......... oh and turn your flag right side up.

Heeheeheee...HC spots and chastises another leftie...

[fourdeuce82d]

most ranges don't train you on hitting the passengers in a vehicle moving at 50-60 mph in the dark from 50-75 feet away

bingo. I'd be interested to take the folks who are so dismissive of the cops shooting out to the range. I suspect there's an inverse relationship between the loudness of the detractor, and his own marksmanship skills.

[fella]

Dang I've lived here for over 30 years and know and have known several thousand people but have only known about 6 people who have gone to jail all for non-violent crimes. One for cattle russeling, 2 for DWI, 2 for hot checks and one for drunk and disorderly.

[snopercod]

I chalk up the ABC "news" item to more anti-Bush propaganda.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Springer says the deputies had been at the bar only a short time and weren't drunk.

Not drunk and 40 rounds miss?

[Travis McGee]

Good points at #12.

[GeronL]

Hey, Texans aren't that bad with a gun.... they must have used their left-hands to hold the guns because they didn't want to spill their beers.

[Shooter 2.5]

Thanks.

Hey, at least their shots didn't seem to hit anything else and they didn't kill anyone. The bad guys were caught and the cops went back to their beers. Another nice day in Texas.

[Travis McGee]

Exactly. I would not scoff at their shooting.

[TexasRepublic]

Dang! I wish I had seen that. It was a hot time in the old town that night. Nice shootin', fellers!

[Poohbah]

40+ plus rounds MISSED!!!!?????

OK, let's see you hit a man-sized target moving at high speed after having a few beers.

[Poohbah]

While I understand most ranges do not have the facilities to train for hitting a moving target, 40 rounds distributed over what 16 sq ft? should have hit SOMETHING!

They did hit something...the truck.

[Poohbah]

Wait until they take daddy's truck back to him ;-)

"Son, cut me a switch from that tree over yonder."