HOUSTON, Texas – The family of a Texas man who allegedly pointed a gun at police after robbing and pistol-whipping another man, doesn’t understand why the police shot him. Danny Miguel Saul, a 29-year-old man from Tomball, Texas, is in the hospital after being shot by local police officers. The officers responded to a call about a robbery and assault. When Saul allegedly hid in the bushes with his gun and then pointed the gun at police, they fired at least eleven rounds.
“I just want to know what happened with my brother, and the reason why he was shot 11 times,” said Saul’s brother A.J. Saul, according to a KHOU-11 report by Alice Barr.
Capt. Rick Grassi with the Tomball Police Department responded, “The officer simply responded to someone’s bad choice, someone’s bad choice to point a gun at him. The officer is going to do, use a reasonable amount of force, [so] that he can go home to his wife and his kids.”
Tomball police stated the officers received a 911 call to the apartment complex. The caller reported that Saul had robbed and pistol-whipped another man at the complex. When police arrived, Saul alleged ran into the bushes and hid.
Memorial Herman Hospital officials reportedly told the family Saul was in critical condition and had been shot eleven times. Despite his wounds, Saul still struggled with police after being shot, according to witnesses.
The family has not been allowed to see Saul because he is in police custody at the hospital. He has reportedly been in and out of surgery several times.
One family member, A.J. Saul complained about the number of times they shot at the suspect. “That’s a lot of shots and to me that sounds like somebody’s trying to get killed with that many shots,” he said.
“The witnesses advised that the officer gave him several commands to drop the gun, to come out of the bushes, to show him his hands,” said Grassi. “It wasn’t until the subject turned the weapon on the officer, that the officer used force.”
A search by Breitbart Texas of Harris County court documents revealed that Saul has a record of prior criminal behavior. In 2006, Saul was sentenced to 20 days confinement for a misdemeanor assault on a family member. Just seven months ago, Saul was arrested and charged with misdemeanor count of unlawful possession of a firearm. Judge Larry Standley dismissed the charge after ordering the forfeiture of the weapon. He was released to his mother and ordered to be placed in the Harris County Psychiatric Center.
Waller County also shows criminal conduct by Saul. In 2012, Saul was arrested for failure to identify or giving false/fictitious information to police. He was convicted and sentenced to four days in jail.
Saul is now charged with felony aggravated robbery with a firearm, and two felony counts of aggravated assault with a firearm against a public servant. This case will be adjudicated by Judge Maria Jackson in the 339th District Court.
Following standard procedure, the Tomball police officer remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Bob Price is a senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
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