Harris County, Texas made headlines on October 26, 2023, with the indictment of Sgt. Garrett Hardin for a fatal shooting that went down in 2022.
An alleged shoplifting at a Dollar General store in Houston on July 8, 2022 spiraled when Sgt. Hardin intervened. As captured on body-cam, what started as a chase involving Roderick Brooks, 47, ended in tragedy after a taser attempt and a consequential gunshot.
The Sheriff’s Office kept Hardin on the sidelines during the investigation. Now, after the indictment, he’s officially off-duty, with potential sanctions on the horizon.
For Brooks’ grieving family, the indictment signals the start of their quest for justice. They’ve been vocal, with their attorney branding Hardin a “rogue cop” with a troubling service history. Digging into Hardin’s record uncovers eight unpaid suspensions since 2004, for mishaps ranging from crashes to severe infractions like lying and misconduct.
Amidst this, Brooks’ family filed a wrongful death lawsuit, underscoring Hardin’s troubling tenure. Their fight is emblematic of the broader national debate around police accountability, with Brooks’ case spotlighting the longstanding fissures between police departments and communities of color.
