Washington Ave. crime crunch: Quadruple shooter still on the run
Suspect wanted in Washington Avenue bar shooting
Houstonians grow concerned about crime rates and safety along Washington Avenue while a violent criminal remains on the run after he was accused of shooting four people. FOX 26's Abigail Dye spoke to one of the victims and people living in the area about the crime.
HOUSTON - Concerns about crime and safety continue in the areas surrounding Washington Avenue as police continue to look for the man they say opened fire at Lincoln Bar, hitting four people.
Charging documents filed against 24-year-old Luis Gerardo Rios say he drove by and shot out his truck window after getting kicked out of the bar.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Houston crime: Man wanted in connection to quadruple shooting at Lincoln Bar
Darien Mann was one of those victims hit by the random gunfire.
Luis Gerardo Rios
"Just wanted to have a drink or two on Washington, and it ended up changing my life forever," he said.
He was rushed to the hospital that night, spent time in the intensive care unit, and is now in a rehab facility.
"I'm currently dealing with being paralyzed from the sternum down. I've lost function of my legs completely," he said.
He says the random act of violence changed his life completely. He says he wishes the bars would limit how much they served patrons.
"He had to have been heavily intoxicated, someone in a stable frame of mind would have known not to aimlessly shoot," said Mann.
Residents in the areas surrounding the buzzing bar strip wanted to remain anonymous, but say they've been affected by crime that seems to spill over from the area.
One resident, who's lived in the area for a decade, says he's been a victim of it.
"I've been hit, had my car broken into, I've been threatened, there was a fight in this corner," he said. ‘It’s ruined this community."
He says it's gotten so bad, he wants to move.
"I would leave here in a heartbeat if it weren't for the cheap mortgage."
Another woman says she's seen and heard crime happen, but isn't as concerned.
"I’ve heard like shotguns, but I wasn't sure if it was shotguns or fireworks," she said. "I'm going to stay here, this is a really good neighborhood."
Houston police track incident reports in certain beats of the city. The beat is tabled ‘2A50’ and is outlined by I-10, Montrose, Buffalo Bayou and 610.
The latest data they have available is from January 2024. In that month, the data shows there were 261 incident reports total, ranging from vandalism to robbery. The data shows there were 16 assaults, 24 DUI's, 104 thefts, five robberies and 19 larcenies in that month.
Another resident says she thinks the crime spills over from the bar strip, and wants to see something done about it.
"It is very concerning, very concerning," she said. "Maybe with our new mayor, Whitmire, maybe things will start to improve."
"Just people having more care for other people, and stuff like that wouldn't happen," said Mann.