A Houston Woman Shot by Deputies Inside Friend’s Apartment: Civil Rights Lawyer Calls Incident Unjust

A Houston woman has been left injured after being repeatedly shot inside her friend’s apartment by deputies who were responding to a call about an intruder in a neighboring unit. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, known for his work on high-profile cases, has stated that this incident “should have never happened.”

The victim, identified as Eboni Pouncy, sustained five gunshot wounds to her leg and torso during the shooting on February 3. According to a statement obtained by NBC News, Pouncy is currently recovering from her injuries.

Pouncy’s Presence in Her Friend’s Apartment and the Incident

The sheriff’s office received a call from a woman residing in the Pines of Woodforest Apartments around 2:10 a.m., reporting an intruder in her apartment. The first deputy who arrived on the scene ensured the apartment was “safe and secure” before the arrival of a second deputy. At this point, someone from a neighboring unit alerted the deputies about a break-in at a different apartment.

The deputies proceeded to the apartment in question, which belonged to Pouncy’s friend. The sheriff’s office explained that the deputies noticed signs of forced entry, such as a removed window screen, broken glass, and raised blinds near the front door.

Pouncy’s friend revealed during a news conference that they had forgotten the keys to her apartment. In order to gain entry, Pouncy broke the window. Approximately 20 minutes after entering the apartment, they heard a loud banging on the door. Pouncy, fearing an intruder, armed herself and approached the door, only to be fired upon by the responding deputies, according to her friend.

Bodycam Footage Reveals the Tragic Incident

The Harris County sheriff’s deputies’ body camera footage captures their approach to Pouncy’s friend’s apartment. In the videos, released alongside a statement regarding the incident, one deputy can be seen banging on the door and shouting, “Sheriff’s office!” Both deputies then move away from the front door towards the windows.

During the footage, one deputy exclaims that she sees someone approaching the door and yells, “Gun!” The deputies proceed to fire their weapons repeatedly, reloading and continuing to shoot. According to the sheriff’s office, a legally registered handgun was later found inside the apartment near the entrance.

Deputies Accused of Employing Unjustified Force

While acknowledging that Pouncy possessed a legally registered firearm, attorney Ben Crump emphasized in a statement on Monday that “this newly-released bodycam footage is evidence of the unnecessary and excessive force used against” his client.

Investigation into the shooting is currently being conducted by the sheriff’s office homicide unit. Additionally, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the sheriff’s office internal affairs unit are independently investigating the incident. The two deputies involved have been placed on administrative leave.