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According to the Houston Police Department, a suspect has been taken into custody for allegedly aiming a gun at two firefighters during a medical response in southwest Houston.
The individual in question, Jaime Marquez, aged 23, faces two charges of aggravated assault against a public servant, authorities confirmed.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. on Saturday in the 6000 block of Bissonnet.
Reportedly, firefighters were dispatched to the Ashford Buena Vista Apartments to assist a 23-year-old patient experiencing seizures. However, the patient became disoriented during the assessment.
The patient requested to retrieve a shirt from his room but returned with a loaded firearm, which he aimed at the firefighters, as per the police statement.
Fearing for their safety, the firefighters fled from the apartment and leaped from a second-floor balcony. One firefighter sustained injuries to the right arm, while the other suffered facial injuries. Fortunately, both are expected to recover after being transported to a local hospital.
Mayor John Whitmire and Houston Firefighters Union president Marty Lancton held a news briefing on Sunday after speaking with the injured firefighters.
Whitmire assured that the firefighters are expected to recover but acknowledged the close call they experienced, emphasizing the public safety concerns in the city.
Lancton highlighted the emotional toll on the firefighters, emphasizing their courage and family responsibilities.
Marquez remains in custody and is set to appear in court on Tuesday.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez expressed concern for the injured responders on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, condemning the violence against firefighters.
Fire Chief Samuel Peña expressed gratitude to the Houston Police Department for promptly apprehending the suspect in a separate post, stressing the importance of consequences for such actions and the intolerance for threats against public servants.