In Missouri City, Texas, a sheriff’s deputy who was responding to a call from a resident “saying she saw someone running down the street who looked suspicious,” accidentally shot and killed Caleb Rule, a local deputy constable, who was also responding to the call. According to a local authority, “the two agencies share a radio system and it’s not uncommon to answer calls together. It’s not clear what went wrong.”

For unexplained reasons, both “deputies entered the home … through an open back door … The sheriff’s deputy mistook the deputy constable for a prowler and opened fire, hitting Rule in the chest. His bulletproof vest wasn’t enough to protect him.” Deputy Rule was taken by medivac helicopter to the hospital but did not survive.

“Deputy Rule leaves a wife and four children, ages 13 to 18. His oldest daughter graduated from high school Friday night — not even 24 hours after her father died.”

“We are heartbroken over this,” the County Sheriff said. “This is an absolute tragedy.”

Source:

Jaime E. Galvan, Michelle Homer and Grace White, “’An Absolute Tragedy’ | Fort Bend Precinct 4 Deputy Mistakenly Shot by FBCSO Deputy During Burglary Call,” KHOU11 (May 29, 2020).