Announcements from the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office or local news outlets

Deputy Jesus Vargas Killed Serving Warrant; Suspect Killed, K9 Rocky Wounded in Houston Shootout

Jan 16, 2025, 02:04 AM

On Wednesday, Brazoria County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jesus Vargas, a 17-year veteran, was shot and killed in southwest Houston while serving an arrest warrant as part of the U.S. Marshals Violent Offenders Task Force. The suspect, Robert Lee Davis, a repeat violent offender wanted on an aggravated sexual assault charge from 2024, fled the scene, prompting an extensive manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies. A Blue Alert was issued statewide as authorities searched for Davis. Later that day, Davis was located near the original shooting scene and killed in a shootout with police. During the operation, a U.S. Marshals K-9 named Rocky, a one-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois, was shot twice, including once in the neck, while alerting officers to Davis's hideout in a dumpster. Rocky was rushed by Texas DPS helicopter to a veterinary hospital and is expected to survive. Deputy Vargas is survived by his wife and three children. Political leaders, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz, expressed condolences to Vargas's family and praised law enforcement's efforts.