A suspect is in custody in connection with the shooting death of a Harris County Sheriff’s deputy.
Fewer than 24 hours after Deputy Darren Goforth was gunned down late Friday night, Sheriff Ron Hickman announced late Saturday afternoon that Shannon J. Miles, 30, has been captured and charged. Miles was arrested in the early hours of Saturday and is currently being held on a capital murder charge in the Harris County Jail.
“This person posed a significant threat,” Hickman said.
Miles has a record dating back to 2005 in Harris County. Among his previous charges were for resisting arrest, trespassing, disorderly conduct with a firearm and criminal mischief. All his previous charges in Harris County were misdemeanors. He had no pending criminal cases in Harris County and had not been charged with a crime since 2009.
“We have not been able to extract any motive at this time,” Hickman said.
It is not believed that Goforth had any previous interactions with his alleged killer. The sheriff indicated that Goforth may have been targeted simply because he was wearing his uniform as the off-duty deputy was pumping gas at a station at Telge and West roads in northwest Harris County.
Earlier Saturday, Hickman asked the public’s help in locating a suspect while one was already in custody. The sheriff simply wanted to ensure there were no other suspects out there.
“We always want to make sure we leave no stone unturned,” Hickman said.
Eyewitness accounts of the vehicle in which the shooter fled led to the arrest of Miles. Initially identified as a red Ford Ranger, Hickman said “our routine research located the vehicle type.”
Officers were quickly able to research the vehicle and determine an address where a vehicle of that type was located.
“It gives us some peace that this individual is off the streets,” Hickman said.
The sheriff also confirmed that a weapon has been recovered and preliminary ballistics tests match it to the one that was used to kill Goforth.
“We are not looking for anybody else,” Hickman said.
Earlier Saturday, Hickman asked the public and media to respect the privacy of Goforth’s family as they grieve. He thanked the community for the outpouring of support, food and water for the deputies on duty.
Goforth, 47, was a 10-year veteran with HCSO. The husband and father of two was pronounced dead at the scene Friday night.
