HUMBLE, Texas – A Woodland Hills apartment complex became a battleground, leaving two Harris County Precinct 4 Constable deputies injured during a fierce shootout with a suspect armed with a rifle on Friday, authorities say.
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During a Tuesday morning press conference, Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman released traumatic body camera footage of the encounter, which took place at an apartment complex near the intersection of Woodland Hills Drive and Balmoral Bay Drive in Humble.
“These videos depict what the men and women in law enforcement go through every day,” Constable Herman said. “It’s a dangerous job. You don’t know when you’re going to come home.”
The suspect, identified as Edgar Villegas, remains under police guard at an area hospital, facing charges of aggravated assault on a peace officer. Authorities are currently reviewing the incident for additional charges.
Photo of suspect Edgar Villegas in custody after a violent exchange of gunfire with officers at an apartment complex on Woodland Hills in Humble June 19. Two Precinct 4 Deputies were shot and injured. (PC4 photo)
The Ambush and Gunfire
The incident began around 10 p.m. Friday when Precinct 4 units responded to emergency calls reporting a male suspect walking through the apartment complex with a rifle. Neighboring surveillance footage captured screenshots of Villegas firing into a neighbor’s apartment prior to law enforcement’s arrival.
Constable Mark Herman says before encountering the suspects, deputies established a perimeter and cleared nearby units to protect residents. Investigators say Villegas began firing through the apartment walls at the officers, using a .308 Winchester chamber.
Body camera footage from Deputy Dante Zepeda captured the violent scene, showing a sudden barrage of gunfire. In the video, blood is visible on Zepeda’s hand as he yells, “I’ve been hit, my wrist, my wrist! I’m bleeding!”
Fellow deputies quickly evacuated Zepeda to a patrol unit and transported him directly to Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital. Zepeda suffered gunshot wounds to his arm and wrist, undergoing a two-hour surgical procedure that evening.
A second deputy, George Esparza, was grazed by a bullet, sustaining shrapnel and fragments to his side. Esparza was treated at the scene and released.
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Precinct 4 Deputy Dante Zepeda was injured in the arm and wrist area after being shot in the June 19 incident at a Humble apartment complex. He was released from the hospital on Father’s Day after a successful surgery and is recovering. (PC4 photo)
A Barrage of Firepower
A second video sequence released by the agency details the tactical response from law enforcement. Deputies fired dozens of rounds towards the active shooter.
“The video will reflect a lot of firepower from law enforcement during this encounter,” Herman noted, adding that once deputies returned fire, the suspect stopped shooting.
Villegas was not struck by police gunfire. Investigators believe the suspect escaped direct fire by crawling through a bedroom in a unit. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team responded to the scene within the hour, ultimately tracking Villegas down and taking him into custody with the assistance of a K-9 unit.
Villegas remains hospitalized recovering from dog bites and injuries sustained while struggling with arresting officers. While Villegas was described as cooperative later that evening, medical staff had to sedate him. Investigators are looking into potential intoxication, though Herman noted the suspect “was coherent enough to know what he was doing.”
The Road to Recovery
Deputy Zepeda was officially released from the hospital on Father’s Day to continue his recovery at home. Constable Herman, who stayed with Zepeda’s wife and child during the hours of surgery, emphasized the long-term financial toll the shooting takes on officers who rely on secondary jobs to support their households.
“This impacts the family financially,” Herman said, disclosing that he personally paid Zepeda out of his own pocket to help bridge the immediate loss of income. “Our deputies shouldn’t be burdened by what someone else does to them.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Esparza has already returned to active duty, reporting back to work on Monday morning.
The investigation into the shooting and the suspect’s motives remains ongoing by local authorities.
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