Houston police officer subject of 4th deadly investigation since 2022

A Houston Police Department officer finds himself under scrutiny for his involvement in a fourth deadly use of force incident during his six-year tenure.

Officer Devin Inocencio’s actions are under investigation after he shot and killed 44-year-old Roosevelt Overton on March 11. Body camera footage captures the moment when Inocencio and other officers fired shots at Overton, who was fleeing with a gun in hand after allegedly robbing a liquor store clerk at gunpoint.

This marks the fourth time Inocencio has been part of a deadly force investigation. In previous incidents, he was involved in the shootings of Charion Lockett, a law student, a kidnapping suspect during a hostage situation, and a teenage robbery suspect.

Despite these investigations, HPD asserts that Inocencio has not violated policy in any of the incidents. However, he faces a civil lawsuit related to the shooting of Lockett, where family members allege officers failed to announce themselves before approaching.

In the latest incident involving Overton, Inocencio was placed on administrative duty for three days, part of HPD’s standard protocol for officers involved in such incidents. This protocol includes meeting with therapists and attorneys.

While HPD maintains that Inocencio’s duty status isn’t punitive, questions linger regarding the frequency of his involvement in deadly force incidents. Overton’s family, like others impacted by such incidents, seeks answers about the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers.