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In Houston, Texas, a victim of aggravated assault expressed surprise when contacted by the Houston Police Department (HPD) earlier this year regarding an incident that occurred in 2019.
Preferring to remain anonymous, the victim recounted that the HPD detective handling the case displayed a keen interest in gathering information and even offered to meet in person. Despite the detective’s efforts, the victim stated he wanted no involvement in the case, four and a half years after the alleged assault outside his Houston residence.
This case is one among 264,000 incidents that HPD suspended since 2016 due to staffing shortages. HPD reported that approximately half of the 107,094 reviewed incident reports lacked leads.
However, investigations into these suspended cases have resumed under the direction of HPD Chief Troy Finner. As part of this internal review, charges have been filed against dozens of suspects, with 22 arrests made thus far.
The charges encompass misdemeanors such as theft and prostitution, as well as felonies like injury to the elderly and aggravated assault. For instance, newly filed documents indicate that 29-year-old Geonary Na Quawn Gillespie was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with a 2019 incident that had been initially sidelined by police.
The victim in Gillespie’s case expressed frustration that the police didn’t follow up when he first reported the incident. He emphasized that he would have been more willing to cooperate at that time, but now finds the prospect traumatizing.
In response to inquiries about the ongoing review process, HPD reiterated its commitment to pursuing charges and making arrests in cases that were previously overlooked due to staffing constraints. They assured the community that updates on arrests and charges filed would be provided as the review progresses.