Three deputies in Harris County, Texas were shot at a bar while responding to a possible robbery on Oct. 16. One of the officers died as a result of his injuries and the other two have been hospitalized.
Darryl Garrett, Kareem Atkins, and Juqaim Barthen of Harris County Constable’s Precinct 4 were working an extra job in North Houston when they were shot on Saturday, local KHOU-TV reported.
While responding to a possible robbery in the parking lot outside the bar, Garrett, 28, and Atkins, 30, attempted to arrest a suspect. A second suspect then appeared and opened fire on the pair with an assault rifle,
according to the outlet. Both officers were struck.Barthen, 26, heard the gunshots and came over to help but was shot and immobilized.
“They were telling him he had to leave from the establishment and it just went left from there. He got upset,” Garrett’s fiancée Lajah Richardson told KHOU-TV about the incident.
Garrett, who was shot in the back, is currently hospitalized and has undergone multiple surgeries to remove bullet fragments that damaged his organs. Doctors removed both of his kidneys and gallbladder. He’ll eventually need a kidney transplant, Richardson shared.
The couple has set up a GoFundme account to assist with medical expenses that will come with Garrett’s long recovery.
Richardson said the situation has been hard on Garrett’s family because four years ago to the day, he and his dad were shot at a birthday party. Garrett was able to recover, but his father passed away.
“It’s a lot for his family because they’re dealing with trauma all over again on the anniversary. It’s a crazy situation for everyone,” she said.
Garrett’s friend and fellow officer, Atkins, died from the injuries he sustained at the bar shooting. Richardson said she hasn’t told Garrett the news because he’s in critical care.
“They call each other brothers. They do everything together,” she said.
She also said it’s going to be hard on everyone not having Atkins around. He’d just returned from paternity leave and served at the precinct since Jan. 2019. He was a great officer, friend and husband, she recalled.
“He is a hardworking man. Took care of his family. He made sure if you need anything he was coming through for you. Everyone loved him, he had no problems with nobody,” Richardson said.
Richardson shared that Barthen is hospitalized and in stable condition.