- Police Brutality Watch

A Houston police officer called to break up a domestic dispute Monday morning fatally shot a 19-year-old who pointed a handgun at him, police said. The shooting happened at about 7:45 a.m. in the 3900 block of Madden, a tree-lined street of brick houses with tidy yards on the edge of Cloverland Park in southeast Houston. The dead man was identified as Joshua Lamar Joseph. Joseph and his girlfriend fought at a relative's home nearby said Capt. Dwayne Ready of the Houston Police Department. It was unclear Monday who called 911, but Ready said that when the first officer arrived on the scene, the two were still fighting and the officer began trying to separate them. As the officer patted down Joshua Joseph prior to putting him in the back of a patrol car, Ready said the man turned and shoved the officer backward. The officer drew his heavy flashlight to use as a weapon if necessary, Ready said. Police said Joseph moved to a grassy area just off the driveway, about 6 feet from the officer, and started jumping up and down. The officer tried to calm Joseph by talking to him but then saw Joseph pull a handgun from the front of his waistband, police said. Joseph pointed the pistol directly at the officer, homicide investigators said. Ready said that when the suspect drew the .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun, the officer dropped his flashlight, drew his service weapon and fired several shots at the man. Family members of the dead man contacted community activist Quanell X by cell phone from the scene, seeking his advice. [more]