HARRISON COUNTY, Texas. A 23-year-old Marshall man was fatally shot by Harrison County Sheriff's Office deputies Friday morning after authorities say he pointed a handgun at deputies and a police K-9 during an hours-long search in a residential neighborhood.
According to the Harrison County Sheriff's Office, the incident began at approximately 5:08 a.m. on July 10 when dispatchers received a report of a suspicious person walking in front of a home on Alexis Drive near Longview.
The caller described the individual as a Black male with a beard wearing a graphic T-shirt and also asked deputies to check a nearby home that was listed for sale after noticing its rear gate standing open.
Deputies began searching the neighborhood at approximately 5:39 a.m.
At 6:29 a.m., dispatchers received a second call from a resident on Lily Lue Lane reporting a Black male in the backyard. The caller told authorities they were unsure whether the individual was armed, and that information was immediately relayed to deputies searching the area.
About five minutes later, a Harrison County Sheriff's Office patrol lieutenant advised dispatchers that he was pursuing a man on foot along Ella Kate Drive. The suspect was described as having short black hair and wearing a black T-shirt.
Approximately 10 minutes later, deputies reported the man was holding a handgun to his head while walking westbound. Deputies established a perimeter and attempted to negotiate with him.
During the encounter, deputies deployed a sheriff's office K-9. Investigators said the man raised the handgun toward the K-9 and deputies, prompting deputies to fire their weapons.
Once deputies determined the man no longer posed a threat, they immediately began providing life-saving measures and requested emergency medical personnel. EMS crews from Christus Good Shepherd continued those efforts, but the man was pronounced dead at approximately 7:30 a.m.
Authorities later identified him as 23-year-old Jeshon Andrew Hamilton of Marshall.
According to investigators, Hamilton had been identified on July 9 as a suspect in a family violence assault being investigated by the Longview Police Department. Later that day, he was also suspected of firing a gun at an apartment complex in Longview.
Police located a vehicle matching the suspect's description, leading to a pursuit that ended when the vehicle crashed. Hamilton allegedly fled on foot and was not located during the initial search.
Investigators believe Hamilton remained in the area overnight and may have committed additional offenses, including criminal trespass and burglary of homes and vehicles. Authorities also believe the handgun Hamilton allegedly pointed at deputies had been stolen from a vehicle in the area.
The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into the deputy-involved shooting.
No deputies were reported injured.
