A tragic incident unfolded in southeast Houston, resulting in the death of a man identified by family as Egin Tavera. According to Assistant Houston Police Chief Wyatt Martin, Tavera experienced a medical emergency following an altercation with Houston police on Sunday morning.
The sequence of events began when concerned neighbors reported Tavera’s erratic behavior, which included running naked, screaming, and appearing bloody in the neighborhood on Sageleaf Drive. Law enforcement responded to the scene around 7 a.m. after receiving a 911 call.
Upon officers’ arrival at approximately 7:30 a.m., Tavera was found inside a neighbor’s back sunroom, having broken a glass window to gain entry and sustaining injuries in the process. Officers observed signs that Tavera had ingested narcotics and promptly called paramedics due to concerns for his well-being.
During the encounter, Tavera was reportedly involved in a physical altercation with officers, during which a Taser was deployed at least once. Subsequently, Tavera’s heart stopped beating shortly after he was handcuffed. Paramedics worked tirelessly to revive him on the scene for about twenty minutes before transporting him to Southeast Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
Assistant Chief Martin indicated that the combination of narcotics and the use of the Taser may have contributed to Tavera’s heart failure. However, the exact cause of death awaits confirmation pending autopsy results, which will also shed light on the type of substance Tavera may have been using.
The incident is currently under investigation by multiple entities, including the police department, and officers involved were equipped with body-worn cameras. While expressing sadness over the outcome, neighbors emphasized the need for increased mental health resources to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
