Police in Houston are looking for the person who killed an on-duty policeman overnight by ambushing and shooting them.
Harris County deputies were called to a Little Caesars pizza shop just after 10 p.m. Wednesday for an aggravated assault, Harris County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mike Lee said at a news briefing.
Lee said early Thursday, “What happened makes no sense.” “The suspect came into the location to pick up a pizza that he had ordered.”
“He was upset because the order was incorrect,” he said.
Lee said the suspect reportedly yelled at the worker and then “produced a firearm and pistol-whipped the worker and then fled the location.”
“The employee at Little Caesars was able to identify the getaway car by make and model, color, and license plate,” he said.
Lee said that Deputy Fernando Esqueda saw the suspect’s car. Then Esqueda “had a phone conversation with one of the other detectives to let him know he did have the suspect vehicle in sight,” he said.
Lee said that “our deputy was ambushed” and shot several times while on the phone.
Other officers rushed Esqueda to the hospital, but he died almost as soon as he got there, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
The 28-year-old Esqueda had worked for the police department for five years, Gonzalez said.
“So much promise left unfulfilled,” Gonzalez said.
“Member of a very elite task force, the violent person task force,” Lee said of Esqueda.
The sheriff also said, “He went after the worst of the worst.”
Gonzalez told them that Ronnie Palmer was wanted for the attack at Little Caesars and had been named as a person of interest in Esqueda’s death.
“Palmer is being looked for right now,” Gonzalez wrote on social media. “Please call us right away. Do not help or aid him, or YOU could face serious consequences.” We want a safe answer.”
Hurry up! Please help us find Ronnie Palmer (10-17-79). Palmer is being sought for Aggravated Assault that happened at 15634 Wallisville in East Harris County on July 10, 2024. A capital murder of a Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy is also linked to him. If you
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477 and give their name.
Lee said that the killing happened while “everybody is on edge” in the Houston area. This is because more than a million people in the state are still without power after Hurricane Beryl hit on Monday.
On Thursday, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said that more than 100 police officers from across Texas are coming to help with law enforcement in the city. The mayor said the officers will walk around neighborhoods that don’t have power and help direct traffic at intersections where the power is out. They will also take some of the load off of Houston cops who have been working 12-hour shifts all week.
