FBI Launches Civil Rights Investigation Into Botched Raid

HOUSTON — Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo announced that the FBI has launched a civil rights investigation into a botch narcotics raid that injured five Houston Police officers and left two civilians dead.

“What actually happened here, how did it go wrong, and how do we prevent it from happening again are questions that have been raised,” Turner said. “All of these questions, and possibly others, must be answered through a full, complete, thorough, honest and credible investigation.”

Turner, who was flanked by Acevedo and other city leaders, said the facts investigation will shed light on the truth, and those facts will be shared to help the city heal from this tragedy.

Mayor Turner’s news conference on @houstonpolice department’s narcotics raid investigation. https://t.co/Up5LxGPRRD
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) February 20, 2019

FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner said Wednesday that the FBI will gather the available facts and evidence in accordance with FBI policies and procedures, related to this case and conduct a thorough investigation.

“The FBI is an independent investigative entity whose sole purpose is to find details of an incident and prepare a fair collection of the facts so prosecutors can decide whether federal criminal charges are warranted,” Perrye Turner said.

On Jan. 28, undercover narcotics officers raided a home at 758 Harding Street in east Houston, based on an affidavit provided by one of the officers who alleged that a confidential informant bought black tar heroin at the home.

Officials revealed that based on the affidavit, police utilized a practice referred to as a no-knock warrant, and smashed through the front door of the home, which sparked the shooting.

The information in the affidavit, which Acevedo said last week was false, led to the shooting death’s of Dennis Tuttle, and his wife Rhogena Nicholas, left four officers wounded, and another injured.

Since then, Officer Gerald Goines, who wrote the affidavit and was seriously wounded, has been relieved of duty, along with Officer Steve Bryant. As a result, both officers could face serious criminal charges, Acevedo said.

On Monday, Acevedo announced that the no-knock policy used in this case would go away, but that policy is under review, and will require approval from either Acevedo, Asst. Chief Tommy Finner or Asst. Chief Matt Slinkard, Acevedo said Wednesday.

The shooting also sparked an investigation by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, which is reviewing 1,400 criminal cases connected to Goines.

Officials said 27 of those cases are active, and are currently in the court system.

In addition, Turner said a 21-person independent police oversight advisory board, composed of citizens, is also investigating the shooting.

“I want all of these investigations to move along as quickly as possible, so that we can begin to restore the trust and heal our city,” Turner said.

(For more news and information like this, subscribe to Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Send your news tips and story ideas to bryan.kirk@patch.com