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Gunman fired 15 shots in deputy's gas station killing

By Andrew V. Pestano
Shannon J. Miles was charged in the execution-style shooting death of Harris County, Texas Sheriff's Deputy Darren Goforth at a gas station. Photo courtesy Harris County Sheriff's Office/Facebook
1 of 3 | Shannon J. Miles was charged in the execution-style shooting death of Harris County, Texas Sheriff's Deputy Darren Goforth at a gas station. Photo courtesy Harris County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

HOUSTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Shannon J. Miles is accused of shooting Texas Deputy Darren Goforth 15 times -- using the entire clip of bullets -- at a gas station in Houston.

Miles, 30, made his first court appearance Monday. A judge found probable cause to hold him for capital murder. He did not enter a plea.

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Guns were found at Miles' home, and ballistics tests confirmed the weapon, a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson, matched shell casings found at the gas station, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said.

"About 8:20 p.m. at the Chevron gas station, a call dropped of an officer-involved shooting," Anderson said at a press conference. "When deputies arrived, they found deputy Goforth face down in the parking lot near his patrol car. He'd clearly been shot multiple times. They found .40-caliber aguila shell casings -- 15 in total -- scattered around the body."

The gun had a 14-bullet clip and one bullet already in the gun's chamber. A witness identified Miles as the gunman.

"We're going to try to figure out the motive, even though we don't have to prove it under Texas law. Everybody sure would like to know the motive, love to know where he got the gun and how he got the gun," Anderson said. "I can't believe that Friday night I was out at a scene looking at an officer dead on the ground. I was just really hoping that I'd never have to participate in one of these cases again."

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Goforth, 47, was a 10-year veteran of the sheriff's office. Investigators said Miles shot Goforth, who was in uniform, from behind. Miles has a criminal history that includes resisting arrest, trespassing, evading detention and disorderly conduct with a firearm.

Goforth's funeral is scheduled for Friday.

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