Texas Sheriff’s Deputy Murdered by Suspect at Traffic Stop

Harris County Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal was pronounced dead Friday afternoon after he was ambushed and gunned down by a suspect in a traffic stop.

Deputy Dhaliwal was returning to his patrol car around 1pm Friday afternoon after pulling over 47-year-old Robert Solis. After speaking with Dhaliwal, Solis allegedly got out of his vehicle with a pistol, ran up to Dhaliwal and shot him in the back of the head. First Responders took Dhaliwal to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead a few hours later. Officers who viewed the dashcam footage noted that the exchange between Dhaliwal and Solis during the stop did not seem confrontational.

According to the Washington Post, officers located Solis at a business only a quarter mile down the road from shooting, taking him and a woman believed to be his passenger into custody. Solis, who has now been charged with capital murder, had an active parole-violation warrant for a previous charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Dhaliwal was highly respected among his fellow deputies and his community where he helped bridge the gap between the police force and the Sikh community. A 10-year veteran of the force, Dhaliwal made headlines four years ago when he was granted an exception to the deputy dress code and was allowed to wear his turban and grow a beard in accordance with his religion.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez praised Dhaliwal, saying he died a hero. As a sign of respect, Harris County deputies lined the walkway to the medical examiner's office when Dhaliwal's body was brought in, and members of the community held a memorial vigil in Dhaliwal's honor.