Relocated: Houston Police Shoot unarmed man over a stolen vehicle that wasn't stolen
 

BELLAIRE, Texas -- A police officer shot a former professional baseball player's son outside of a Bellaire home early Wednesday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Anthony Cooper said a Bellaire police officer approached him and his brother, Robert Tolan, in their driveway on Woodstock Street near Evergreen Street in Bellaire at about 2 a.m., after they returned home from a fast-food restaurant.

"We didn't know it was a police officer at all until he turned on his light, his flashlight, and had a gun," Cooper said. "They didn't even ask us any questions."

Cooper, 20, said the officer told them to get down on the ground.

"We were going into the house and our parents came outside," Cooper said. "Our parents said, 'What's going on?' They didn't say anything to us but, 'Get down on the ground.' They said, 'Well, it's a stolen vehicle, ma'am.' She's (the mother) like, 'What stolen vehicle? That's his vehicle.'"

"The vehicle was later determined not to be stolen," Assistant Police Chief Byron Holloway said. "The license plate was run, but exactly why they believe it was stolen … just don't have the information to make a comment on it."

Cooper said the officer harassed Tolan's mother. Cooper said that when Tolan yelled at the officer, the officer shot him in the chest.

"Shot him on the ground," said Cooper. "Not even in the arm or anything. They shot him in his chest."

Police said Tolan wasn't on the ground when Sgt. Jeff Cotton fired.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/18387805/detail.html

Just to clear this up, it wasn't a Houston Police officer (as in HPD), it was a Bellaire officer. Bellaire has its own force, just as West U and all the Memorial Villages do. They are all notorious for being over the top in their reactions to situations (not that HPD doesn't do stupid things as well, but they're innocent in this one).

An example of overzealousness of these little police forces (doesn't come close to this poor family's experience but royally pissed me off!!-

On Christmas Eve at around 10 pm, my husband was driving my family home from dinner through Bunker Hill Village. He was speeding as he got off I-10 on the feeder road. Mind you, he is driving with his wife and 3 children in a late model Lexus sedan. We don't look like crooks or bad guys. Well, the officer called for backup and 3 other cars showed up (like it was some type of bank heist!), and they kept us waiting in the car for around 1/2 an hour while they checked my husband's record - he hasn't had a ticket in around 5 years, has never been arrested, and is a complete law abiding citizen of Houston (not Bunker Hill, they let them go without a glance!!).

I don't in any way want to compare our stupid situation with what this poor family went through!! Just relating the over reaction these cops show to anything (unless they know you are a resident of the Village)

They are like Barney Fifes with guns - SCARY. And, watch out if you are black or Mexican, they'll stop you for nothing just to make sure you're not causing trouble!!!

These little forces use intimidation and excessive force all the time.

They basically suck! But, the people in Bellaire, West U, and the Villages love them because the keep the crime down (ie, the riff faff out)...

I hope the guy not only gets fired, but prosecuted to the fullest extent. It doesn't say in the article, but if the family is black, I'm sure the cop assumed they were car thieves because they are racist as all get out! This could be prosecuted as a hate crime...

Been there done that!

Yep, as I suspected:

I can't help but notice my post was deleted.

It wasn't deleted. My apologies for not moving the replies....

it's cool

Sounds like Clyde Hill-Medina PD where I grew up. They used to pull over high school kids all the time and I swear they'd just make up reasons. And you better not be going 3 mph over the limit, because you will get ticketed. Oh, and be sure you wear your seat belt to drive two blocks through the neighborhood - my brother and his friends got pulled over and ticketed for that in high school.