This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
On September 27, 2019, a tragic event unfolded in Harris County, Texas, near Houston, when a sheriff's deputy, Sandeep Dhaliwal, was shot and killed during a traffic stop.
Deputy Dhaliwal, a 10-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff's Office, was known for his commitment to serving his community with integrity, respect, and pride. He had gained national attention in 2015 for being allowed to wear his traditional Sikh articles of faith, including a turban and a beard, while on patrol.
According to Maj. Mike Lee of the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the deputy made the traffic stop at 12:23 p.m. local time, and nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. The deputy was speaking with the driver for about two minutes, and it 'looked to be just conversational,' Major Lee said, citing a review of dashboard camera footage from the traffic stop.
However, within three to five seconds, the driver, brandishing a gun, ran up behind the deputy and 'basically ambushed' him, shooting him in the back of the head, Major Lee said. A woman doing yard work who observed the traffic stop heard two gunshots and saw the gunman flee, the major said.
Law enforcement officers descended on the scene, and officers obtained an image of the gunman from the dashboard camera video and circulated it. The gunman was found inside a business about a quarter of a mile away and was taken into custody. A woman who was a passenger in the suspect's car was also taken into custody.
Deputy Dhaliwal's death has sent shockwaves throughout the community, with many praising his commitment to serving his community with integrity, respect, and pride. Mayor Sylvester Turner called Deputy Dhaliwal 'a bold and groundbreaking law enforcement officer in the eyes of our county, our state, our nation.'
