HOUSTON — Authorities have taken a third individual into custody in connection with the fatal shooting of off-duty Harris County Precinct 3 Deputy Constable Omar Ursin.
The shooting occurred in August 2022 when Deputy Constable Ursin, off-duty at the time, was killed while driving home after picking up dinner for his family.
Douglas Wooten, who had been sought by authorities, is now charged with murder. Investigators believe Wooten fired the fatal shot on August 28, 2022, off Madera Run Parkway.
“He is currently in custody, and we are very happy about that,” said Rebecca Marshall, Chief Prosecutor of the Homicide Division at the Harris County DA’s Office.
Court documents obtained by KHOU 11 News reveal that one of the suspects in the vehicle identified Wooten as the shooter. The witness stated Wooten rolled down the back window and fired at Ursin’s car. The document also states that Wooten shot Ursin after falsely claiming that Ursin had pointed a gun at him and others. However, the charging document confirms Ursin’s weapon was holstered at the time.
Ahsim Taylor Jr. and Jayland Womack were also charged with murder in this case back in September 2022.
“We were initially able to charge the driver and front seat passenger. Through further investigation, we identified Douglas Wooten as the backseat shooter,” Marshall said.
Court documents also mention that Wooten moved between various locations following the shooting. He was arrested on November 27 in St. Paul, Minnesota, authorities reported.
“Through intelligence, we learned he was spotted in a vehicle. We believed he may have ties to St. Paul,” Marshall explained.
Though Wooten is now in custody, he has not yet been returned to Harris County.
Who was Deputy Constable Omar Ursin? Ursin, a six-year veteran of the department and a native of Channelview, had previously volunteered with youth outreach programs before joining the police academy, where he mentored foster children.
“He was loved. He was a father and a husband, and he had a family, so our hearts are broken for them, the agency, and the law enforcement community,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said during coverage in 2022.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office also stated, “Ursin was a devoted dad, husband, and son who loved his family immensely. As a department, we are in utter disbelief and unable to comprehend this senseless act. Deputy Ursin was a colleague, a friend, a brother, and so much more.”