The pursuit began after a stop for expired registration and ended in a rollover crash at Antoine and West 34th, authorities said.
HOUSTON, Texas — A routine traffic stop on Antoine Drive turned into a rolling gunfight Thursday morning, ending when a fleeing driver crashed, ran and exchanged fire with officers before he was shot and hospitalized in critical condition, according to Houston police.
Police said patrol officers pulled over a car in the 3400 block of Antoine Drive around 8:40 a.m. for expired registration and discovered the driver had a felony theft warrant. As backup arrived, the driver sped away. During the chase, investigators said he fired from his moving vehicle toward pursuing officers. The pursuit ended at Antoine and West 34th Street after a rollover crash. Officers said the man climbed from the wreck and continued shooting while running, and two officers returned fire. No officers or bystanders were hurt. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office responded to review the scene as detectives opened an investigation into the use of force.
The man, 33, was taken to a hospital after being shot multiple times, police said. Two women in the car were detained; one also had a felony warrant, according to authorities. Assistant Chief Luis Menendez-Sierra said the traffic stop appeared routine until the warrant check came back, adding that officers requested additional units before attempting to take the driver into custody. “This is a traumatic event for the officers involved,” Menendez-Sierra said at the scene. Investigators recovered a handgun and spent shell casings along the route of the chase, police said. Detectives are working to map where shots were fired and to collect any surveillance video from nearby businesses and apartment complexes.
Police did not immediately release the man’s name. Family members at the scene identified him as 33-year-old Jacques Bassey and said he had contacted his mother during the chase. “When he texted me back and said they shot him, I couldn’t work no longer,” his mother, Andrea Johnson, said. Johnson said she was told he was struck in the head and chest and expressed fear for his condition. Officers said they would verify passenger identities and notify relatives through standard procedures. The department said it is still determining how many rounds were fired and by whom, and whether any rounds hit nearby property.
The intersection where the crash occurred — a busy stretch lined with small shops and apartments — remained blocked for hours as investigators marked ballistic evidence and diagrammed the scene. Neighbors described hearing a “boom” followed by sirens and shouting. A convenience store clerk said he watched patrol cars rush past just before the crash. Past HPD shootings in the area have involved traffic stops and warrants, but police noted that each incident triggers separate reviews by homicide detectives, the Internal Affairs Division and the District Attorney’s Civil Rights Unit. City policy requires those reviews before any administrative findings are made.
Detectives said they will interview the two women who were in the car and canvass for additional witnesses. The officers who fired will be placed on administrative duty, standard after shootings. Prosecutors will evaluate evidence for potential criminal charges related to the warrants, the chase and the alleged gunfire from the suspect’s car. No court dates were announced Thursday. Officials said they intend to review body-worn camera footage as part of the investigation and release information in accordance with department policy once key witnesses are interviewed. Traffic investigators will also analyze the rollover to determine speed and contributing factors.
Outside the taped perimeter, residents filtered around stalled buses and detoured cars as investigators worked. A tow truck uprighted the crushed sedan shortly before noon, and technicians photographed holes consistent with gunfire. “I heard tires screech and then three pops,” said Marcus King, who was waiting at a bus stop. Another neighbor said officers quickly shouted commands after the crash. An officer at the scene described the encounter as “fast-moving,” noting that no civilians reported injuries despite the morning rush.
As of Thursday evening, police said the driver remained in critical condition and that investigators were still taking statements. The department plans additional updates after evidence is processed and initial witness interviews are complete.
Author note: Last updated December 6, 2025.