Off-duty cop shoots his wife in the face with a rifle, Texas police chief says

A police officer accused of shooting his wife in the face has been arrested and relieved of his duties, according to a Texas police chief.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a news briefing the shooting happened just after midnight Monday, June 12, at an apartment on the northwest side of the city.

Officers found the 30-year-old female victim had been shot in the face by her husband, an officer with the Houston Police Department, Finner said.

The woman was taken into surgery, and her condition is unknown.

“We pray that she’s going to be alright and make a full recovery,” the police chief said.

It’s believed that a rifle was used in the shooting, according to the police chief. The Houston Police Department does not issue rifles, so the weapon may have been purchased by the officer, Finner said.

Police said it’s unclear what led to the shooting. The accused shooter and gunshot victim were the only people inside the apartment, the chief said.

The officer, who has been with the department for two years, was arrested and faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Finner said. Because formal charges have not been filed, his name has not been publicly released.

Finner said the officer was “immediately relieved of duty.” An investigation will be conducted.

“We all took an oath of office to serve and protect, but we’re human as well. This hurts. It hurts all of us,” Finner said.

This story was originally published June 12, 2023 at 3:47 PM with the headline "Off-duty cop shoots his wife in the face with a rifle, Texas police chief says."