On September 3, 2024, in Houston, Texas, Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini, a 50-year-old Palestinian American male, was fatally shot while driving to work. The incident occurred around 12:35 p.m. at the intersection of Richmond Avenue and Fondren Road. Deputy Husseini was stopped at a red light in his personal vehicle when a man exited a charcoal gray Chevy Impala, approached the deputy's SUV, and fired multiple rounds through the passenger-side window.
The assailant then fled the scene.
Prior to the shooting, Deputy Husseini and the suspect, identified as 40-year-old Athir Murady, had a brief interaction. Dashcam footage from Husseini's vehicle revealed that approximately 10 to 15 minutes before the shooting, the two men met in a parking lot about a mile from the crime scene. They engaged in a cordial conversation and shook hands before departing separately.
After the shooting, Murady led law enforcement on a high-speed chase spanning approximately 60 miles. The pursuit concluded near the Causeway Bridge in Galveston Bay, where Murady drove his vehicle into the water in an attempt to evade capture. He was observed treading water for nearly half an hour before authorities, utilizing a marine unit and a police K9, apprehended him. Murady sustained injuries during the arrest, including dog bites, and was transported to a hospital for evaluation before being taken into custody.
An autopsy revealed that Deputy Husseini suffered 13 gunshot wounds, including five to the head and seven to the left shoulder and chest area. Investigators discovered multiple revolver speed loaders in Murady's vehicle, though the firearm used in the shooting was not recovered at that time.
Deputy Husseini had been serving with Harris County Precinct 4 since 2021 and was recently promoted. He was married with children and had previously worked as a police officer for Montgomery Independent School District. He held a Ph.D. in Administration of Justice from Texas Southern University.
Authorities charged Murady with murder in connection with Deputy Husseini's death. The motive behind the shooting remained under investigation. Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated that the "dangerous criminal who ambushed and murdered Deputy Constable Husseini will have the full weight of the law brought down upon him."
