Child shot in legs during drive-by shooting in southeast Houston, HPD says
(FOX 26 Houston)
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Police are investigating after a drive-by shooting left a child injured in southeast Houston.
According to HPD, the incident happened in the 4900 block of Southwind Street at around 7:10 p.m. Sunday.
Police say the child, who has only been identified as a 9-year-old boy, was shot in his legs while riding on the back of his disabled mother's motorized wheelchair.
The mother and child were reportedly making their way down the sidewalk near a vacant lot. Investigators say a group of young men were in the lot when a vehicle pulled up, and someone started shooting at the men in the lot. The child was struck by gunfire.
He was shot at least once in the leg. The boy was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital.
"You know a 9-year-old kid should be getting ready to go to school. He has a right, his mother has a right to ride down the street, on their own street, and be safe," Executive Asst. Chief Troy Finner says. "Sometimes I'm left without words, you know, because it used to be that criminals, even criminals had a code where it was hands off of children and innocent people. Some of these cowards, and I'm going to say cowards, in our neighborhoods, they shoot, and they have no regards for anybody."
Police are trying to identify the suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call police.