Houston block party shooting: 3 dead, at least 8 injured after drive-by shooting
HOUSTON - A block party in northeast Houston turned deadly Saturday night after a drive-by shooting left three people dead and at least eight others injured.
Houston Police Department Assistant Chief Adrian Rodriguez reports officers responded to the intersection of Laura Koppe Road and Lockwood Drive around 2:30 a.m., where witnesses reported a white truck driving by and shooting into the crowd. Authorities believe at least three suspects fired shots into the crowd before fleeing.
"This didn’t need to happen. It shouldn’t have happened," said Detective Kyle Heaverlo, of the Houston Police Department.
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Rodriguez says two men in their early 20s were killed at the scene with multiple gunshot wounds. At least eight people sustained injuries, either from gunfire or while attempting to get out of the chaos. All those hurt were adults and were transported to local hospitals.
UPDATE: Houston police discovered two men, both 24 years old, dead at the scene. A third man, 23, was transported to a local hospital but was also pronounced dead. The eight injured individuals, including seven men and one woman, were taken to area hospitals. Their conditions are stable.
A family member identified one of the victims as 24-year-old Jarvis and a friend of one of the other victims who died at the scene identified him as 23-year-old Breon.
"We’re just young and people don’t think. They think with emotions, and it’s not worth it in the end," said the friend of one of the victims who died.
"People here were just minding their business so it’s too early to tell if it’s a personal thing, it’s a retaliation thing, what the motive is," said Heaverlo.
Surveillance video from a nearby business shows people fleeing the area at the time of the shooting.
"You can think of him as a helping hand. He was always there, no matter what. Big, small, you ask him for something you got it," said Breon's high school friend.
The suspect's vehicle was seen driving westbound on Laura Koppe Road toward Highway 59.
Houston police believe there may have been multiple gunmen after discovering numerous shell casings at the crime scene. Officials are now asking for the public’s help to solve the case.
"People are gone now, and they’re not coming back and I don’t think whoever did it. I hope they know that their life is also gone, you know, because everything comes to light so you can’t hide for long," said Breon's friend.
Detectives are questioning the other seven people who were injured during the shooting to try to get more information on the incident. Authorities are asking any with information to call crime stoppers or Houston police.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS or the Houston Police Department's Homicide Unit at 713-308-3600.