Police identify person killed in officer-involved shooting, 2 arrested

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - One person was killed Wednesday morning when College Station police served a search warrant at a residence on Spring Loop, CSPD Chief Billy Couch said. Police say 22-year-old Mark Bennett Hopkins was killed after he fired shots at College Station officers.

The warrant was one of three served at multiple locations across the city in what Couch described as a “very complex case,” during an afternoon press conference. Couch would not disclose the locations or the reason for the warrants.

Wednesday evening, College Station PD Public Information Officer David Simmons said search warrants were served at residences on Tranquil Path and in the 1700 block of Greens Prairie W. KBTX confirmed two people were arrested in connection to the search warrants. Police did not release who was arrested but say more charges are likely.

During the press conference, Couch said police identified themselves at the residence in the 900 block of Spring Loop, then a man armed with a shotgun fired at police. An officer fired back, killing the man. The identity of the man has not been released at this time, and Couch would not say how the man was involved with the warrant. Police confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Chief Couch had reviewed the body camera footage of the incident.

According to Couch, the man shot was a resident of the location and was there with two other adults. Medical care was provided, but the shooter was pronounced dead on the scene.

No officers or other residents were injured in the shooting. The 6-year veteran police officer who fired the fatal shot is now on paid leave and the Texas Rangers are taking over the investigation into what happened at the duplex. KBTX confirmed the shots were fired inside the home but Chief Couch declined to say where everyone was located specifically at the time.

Couch would not give a timeline on when, or if, body camera footage would be released. He said it’s standard department policy to not release that footage to the public.

The Bryan Police Department’s tactical response team assisted with the Greens Prairie search warrant due to the size of the property, but they were not involved with the other locations.

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