Sergeant Harold L. Preston

Sergeant Harold L. Preston

Houston Police Department, Texas

End of Watch Tuesday, October 20, 2020

HAROLD L. PRESTON

Sergeant Harold Preston was shot and killed at about 9:30 am as he and other officers responded to a domestic disturbance call in an apartment complex in the 2600 block of Holly Hall Street.

Police were called to the scene by a woman who had been locked out of her apartment by her estranged husband and was attempting to retrieve belongings. Other officers had been to the apartment two additional times in the preceding days for domestic disturbance calls. Sergeant Preston and the other officer spoke to the woman for approximately an hour before her 14-year-old son managed to unlock the apartment door and encountered his father holding a gun.

The man then opened fire, striking Sergeant Preston numerous times in the head and upper body. The other officer and juvenile were also wounded. The man surrendered approximately one hour later.

Sergeant Preston had served with the Houston Police Department for 41 years and was scheduled to retire in the coming weeks. He is survived by his elderly parents, whom he cared for, and fiancée.