Man accused of fatally shooting Houston woman as she held their son now in custody
Booking photo of murder suspect Zacchaeus Gaston (Photo: Houston Police Department)
HOUSTON - The man accused of fatally shooting a woman as she held their 1-year-old son is now in custody, Houston police say.
Zacchaeus Rashad Gaston, 27, was arrested Wednesday evening by officers with HPD’s Westside Patrol Division Tactical Unit.
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Gaston is charged with one count of murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Police said Gaston was wanted in the death of 24-year-old Layla Steele and the wounding of her 1-year-old son. Authorities described Gaston as Steele’s estranged boyfriend and the toddler's father.
The Houston Police Department investigates a deadly shooting near Westpark and Wilcrest.
The shooting occurred around 10:30 a.m. July 1 in the 11200 block of Westpark Drive.
According to investigators, witnesses reported seeing Gaston and Steele engaged in a "physical altercation" outside the apartment. Police say the suspect shot Steele and her son before fleeing the scene.
Steele was taken to the hospital, but she did not survive her injuries. Police say the boy was also taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg.