Man killed in Baytown officer-involved shooting suspected of shooting 4 others
BAYTOWN, Texas - The Baytown Police Department said officers fatally shot a man who was suspected of shooting four other people on Wednesday evening.
Steve Dorris, Patrol Watch Commander with the Baytown Police Department, said it all started when officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 2000 block of Tri-City Beach Road around 6:30 p.m.
At that location, police said the suspect was involved in some type of dispute with someone on the side of the road. Authorities said a man was shot and pronounced dead on the scene. A woman was also shot and was last reported to be in stable condition.
After the shooting, Dorris said a female passerby saw the suspect's vehicle on the side of the road and slowed down to see what was happening. Authorities said that’s when the suspect, later identified as Ron Welch, 33, of Baytown shot at that female driver. She was shot at least once before she was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Following that shooting, police said Welch then went down Tri City Beach Road to Bay Oaks Harbor, where he engaged with another man and shot him. That man was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition, where officials on Thursday confirmed said he died from his injuries.
Dorris said the officers then saw Welch come back toward them on Tri City Beach Road, they engaged the 33-year-old, fired their weapons, and shot him at least one time. Welch was later pronounced dead.
Ron Welch, 33 (Photo courtesy of Baytown PD)
The motive behind the shootings is unknown at this time.
Authorities did not release the identities of the victims, as of this writing.
This is a developing story and will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.