Houston Officer Said Using a Racial Slur "Out Loud" Felt Like "Peace" — Got Fired After the Video Went Viral

A Houston Police Department officer lost her job after a video of her using racial slurs about Black people spread across social media.

Ashley Gonzalez, the officer in question, allegedly used racial slurs and made derogatory comments about Black people while describing an incident where she suspected a black person trying to steal her wallet at a restaurant on her Instagram.

In a statement announcing Officer Ashley Gonzalez was terminated, Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. denounced the remarks as "disgusting."

"The behavior exhibited by Ashley Gonzalez was abhorrent, disgusting, and entirely unacceptable. It is deeply disturbing and has no place in law enforcement or in our community," J. Noe Diaz, Jr. said.

The statement further confirmed that the police department has terminated Gonzalez's employment, emphasizing that "HPD holds every officer to the highest standards of integrity and conduct, and will not waver in upholding these expectations."

Although the department had not publicly confirmed Gonzalez's identity in the video, authorities cited by KHOU 11 said they believed the woman in the footage was Gonzalez.

According to the outlet, the investigation into Ashley is ongoing. She has turned in her badge and firearm and is being monitored to ensure she stays home. She is not permitted to perform police duties.

"The Houston Police Officers’ Union is extremely disturbed by a video circulating on social media regarding an officer making offensive, racist comments. In no way does the HPOU or its leadership condone or tolerate racist behavior from any of our officers. The Houston Police Department prides itself as being the most diverse police department in the nation, largely a product of the collaborative changes to civil service law that the HPOU and the Department have made through our meet and confer process," the department stated.

They continued, "It is our belief that the Department is diligently working to confirm the authenticity of this video and will take appropriate measures to ensure public confidence and trust between our Department and our community."

In one portion of the video, the officer claimed she "f------ hate [racial slur]," called African-Americans "chimps," referenced slavery and said, "you guys don't know better than a f------ steal."

She added, "Y'all don't know how good it felt to say [racial slur] out loud. I felt like I was back in the Marine Corps... I felt like the world just stopped, it was just peace."

Gonzalez continued, "Let me get a Black person on a 911 call tomorrow. You're going to jail."

Military officials cited by the outlet stated that Gonzalez served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2019 to 2023 and reached the rank of Corporal, E4.

She worked as a motor vehicle operator and earned multiple awards, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Gonzalez became a police officer in January 2024 and was assigned to the South Gessner Patrol Division, KPRC 2 reported.