Holly MatkinMesquite, TX – Mesquite Police Department (MPD) Officer Richard Houston was murdered in the line of duty Friday while responding to a report of a disturbance in a grocery store parking lot.
The incident occurred at around 1:40 p.m. at the Albertsons in the 1500 block of South Beltline Road near Cartwright Road, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Police said the suspect, 37-year-old Jamie Jaramillo, was involved in the initial disturbance that prompted the police response, WFAA reported.
Details regarding the disturbance have not been released.
When officers arrived at the scene, Jaramillo opened fire, hitting Officer Houston multiple times, WFAA reported.
The gunman was also critically wounded during the exchange of gunfire.
Officer Houston was rushed to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, where he succumbed to his wounds.
Jaramillo remains hospitalized in stable condition, according to police.
He will be charged with multiple offenses, including capital murder of a police officer, WFAA reported.
Officer Houston, a married father-of-three, served the MPD for 21 years, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
He spent time as a patrol and SWAT officer during his tenure and also served more than a decade as an investigator working homeland security, juvenile gang cases, and burglaries, WFAA reported.
Officer Houston was awarded a Certificate of Merit in April for his role in helping prevent a suspect from committing suicide during an arrest, according to KXAS.
He received two life-saving awards, 48 letters of commendation, and a police commendation bar during his career and was named Citizens Police Academy Officer of the Month in August of 2018.
Mesquite Police Chief David Gill said Officer Houston’s murder “was a senseless act of violence,” WFAA reported.
“Richard was a great officer, friend, father, and husband,” Chief Gill said. “Please keep his family and our family in your prayers.”
Officer Houston will be laid to rest on Dec. 9.
Rest In Peace @MesquitePD_TX PO Richard Houston who was shot & killed on 12/3/21 while responding to a disturbance. He was a 21 year veteran & leaves behind a wife & 3 children. Please retweet to honor him 💙🖤😞 #BlueLivesMatter #BackTheBlue #StopKillingUs #EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/juME4WIddP
— Angel L Maysonet🇵🇷🇺🇸👮🏻♂️💙🖤 ✭ (@bigricanman) December 5, 2021
People have been stopping by the Mesquite Police Dept. all afternoon to pay their respects to Officer Richard Houston, who was shot and killed in the line of duty yesterday. The memorial keeps growing by the hour @wfaa pic.twitter.com/0DTapJumI8
— Adriana De Alba (@adealbaWFAA) December 4, 2021
We offer our prayers and condolences to the loved ones and brother and sister officers of @MesquitePD_TX Officer Richard Houston, killed in the line of duty Dec. 3. Officer Houston was shot responding to a disturbance outside a grocery store. He leaves a wife and three children. pic.twitter.com/lTvODazGv7
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) December 6, 2021
Please keep Officer Richard Houston’s family in your prayers. Richard was shot and killed responding to a disturbance call in Mesquite, TX on 12/3/21. He was a 21 year veteran. He was a friend and a friend to our church. He will be greatly missed. pic.twitter.com/Imz5iNl5Pu
— Mike Wells (@DrMikeWells) December 5, 2021
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Mesquite Police Department Officer Richard Houston, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Officer Richard Houston, your life mattered.
Sandy Malone
