On December 6, 2012, Shelly Marie Frey, a 27-year-old Black woman and mother of two, was fatally shot by an off-duty Harris County Sheriff's deputy in Houston, Texas. The incident occurred at a Walmart store located on the North Freeway and West Road. Frey, along with two other women—Tiasa Andrews, 29, and Yolanda Craig, 38—were suspected of shoplifting.
Store loss prevention officers observed the trio concealing merchandise in their purses and alerted Deputy Louis Campbell, who was working security at the store.
As the women attempted to exit the store, Deputy Campbell confronted them. One of the women struck him with her purse, and all three fled to a car in the parking lot. Frey entered the passenger seat, while Andrews took the driver's seat, and Craig sat in the back. Two children were also in the vehicle, though they were not Frey's own. Campbell approached the vehicle, opened the passenger door, and ordered Frey to exit. When she refused, and as the driver began to move the car, Campbell, positioned between the open door and the driver, discharged his weapon, striking Frey in the neck.
The vehicle fled the scene and was later found at The Worthington at the Beltway apartments on Greens Parkway. Paramedics were called, but Frey was pronounced dead at the scene. The other two women were arrested; Andrews was charged with robbery and aggravated assault of a public servant, while Craig was charged with robbery. Deputy Campbell, a 26-year veteran of the sheriff's office, was placed on a standard three-day paid administrative leave following the incident.
Frey's family expressed outrage over the shooting, questioning the necessity of using deadly force, especially with children present in the vehicle. They filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Walmart, Deputy Campbell, and the security company that employed him. The lawsuit alleged that Campbell's actions were excessive and unjustified. Despite the family's demands for criminal charges against Campbell, no charges were filed. The case was investigated by the Harris County Sheriff's Homicide Unit, the Office of the Inspector General, and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
