No Doubt About It, God Was on His Side': Dashcam Video Shows Deadly Shootout Between Police Chaplain and Gang Member

Officer Andra Gibson had been with the Hedwig Village, Texas, police department for a little over three years and had never engaged in a car chase or fired his weapon.

All that changed one night in July when Gibson — who also serves as the department's chaplain — spotted a car making an illegal turn. When the officer pursued the vehicle, the driver tried to outrun him.

The drama was heightened when the car suddenly stopped and a passenger jumped out and ran off and the driver sped up again, according to newly released dashcam video of the incident, KHOU-TV reported.

Finally, the car Gibson was pursuing hit a curb and came to a stop. The driver got out and looked like he was giving himself up.

Image source: KHOU-TV

"And he makes that indication like, 'I'm surrendering,'" Hedwig Village Police Chief David Gott said.

Far from it.

Just seconds after the driver put up his left hand, he grabbed a gun with his right hand and fired about six times at Gibson.

Image source: KHOU-TV

Gibson fired back and hit the driver several times, KTRK-TV reported.

The driver, identified as 36-year-old Emilio Soliz, tried to run from the scene. He ultimately died on his way to a hospital. It turns out, Soliz was a gang member who was wanted in California on several serious drug charges, KHOU reported.

Police arrested the second suspect, Edwin Benitez, two days later. The story is that they were headed to a friend's to smoke pot that night, police told KHOU, but no drugs were found in the car.

A grand jury earlier this month determined that Gibson — who's still on the force — had done nothing wrong.

As for Gibson, his cruiser was hit by Soliz' gunfire, according to KTRK. A bullet hole was discovered in his pant leg, but somehow the round didn't touch his body, KHOU reported.

Image source: KHOU-TV

"Well no doubt about it, no doubt about it, God was on his side," Gott said. "The officer is also a pastor in his off-duty time. I don't know if that helped, but it certainly didn't hurt."