Mesquite police release name of officer who was shot multiple times and died Friday

The Mesquite Police Department announced Saturday afternoon that Richard Houston was the officer who was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance call Friday in the 1500 block of S. Belt Line Road.

Houston was a 21-year veteran of the department. The department said his assignments included serving in the operations bureau as a patrol officer, on the SWAT team for over 10 years and in criminal investigations handling burglary and theft, homeland security, and juvenile and gang cases.

The disturbance call at around 1:40 p.m. led to a shootout between Houston and a male suspect after the suspect pulled a gun, authorities said on Friday.

Both Houston and the suspect were transported to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Dallas. At the time, both were in critical condition. The department said Houston died from his injuries at 2:11 p.m.

Houston was married with three children.

“This was a senseless act of violence,” Mesquite Police Chief David Gill said in a statement. “Richard was a great officer, friend, father and husband. Please keep his family and our family in your prayers.”