Off-duty officer allegedly shoots, kills his brother, a sheriff's deputy

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An off-duty Stagecoach Police officer allegedly shot and killed a Harris County sheriff's deputy who he said broke into his home near Magnolia Friday evening, authorities said.

But within hours of the shooting, authorities said it wasn't a burglary, and that the two men were brothers. They did not immediately offer a motive, but identified the slain man as Rocky Lee, a 26-year veteran of the force who worked in the 1200 Baker Street jail.

"Our hearts are broken this evening," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. "We're going to be hurting for a long time."

The suspected shooter - a retired Houston police officer, according to one law enforcement source - had not been arrested by the end of Friday.

"We have not made that determination," said Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon, "though the shooter has been taken to the sheriff's office for questioning."

The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m. near the intersection of Westward Ho and Singletree in Stagecoach Farms, about 9 miles south of Magnolia. The deputy was killed in a bathroom of the officer's home, according to law enforcement officials.

The officer who allegedly fired the shot has 35 years of law-enforcement experience, according to Lt. Scott Spencer of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. He was also experiencing blood pressure problems and was treated at the scene. He was cooperating with investigators, authorities said.

"The exact circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation," Spencer said. "We don't believe there was a burglary at the residence."

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office and the Texas Rangers are also investigating.

As authorities worked to untangle the events leading up to the shooting, David Cuevas, president of the Harris County Deputies Organization, offered condolences.

"At this point we're still trying to gather more information as to the circumstances surrounding the shooting, but our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time," he said. "Any loss to the Harris County Sheriff's Office family is a loss to all of us."

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