A child was killed, and four others were wounded in a shooting on Sunday night at a flea market just outside of Houston.
Officers received a call around 5:30 p.m. about a shooting at Cole’s Flea Market, located roughly 20 miles south of Houston, according to a social media post from the Pearland Police Department.
Police arrived at the scene and found a 10-year-old boy, 14-year-old girl, 16-year-old boy, 18-year-old man, and 37-year-old man with injuries.
The victims were transported to a local hospital, where the 10-year-old boy died from his injuries later that night.
The 14-year-old girl and 18-year-old man were in stable condition, and the 16-year-old boy was in surgery on Monday, according to the Associated Press.
The 37-year-old man was treated for his injuries and was later released from the hospital.
Police said the preliminary investigation found that two Hispanic male subjects became engaged in a dispute, leading to the gunfire.
“At least two handguns were fired during the altercation, and the number of rounds fired is still to be determined,” stated Pearland PD on social media.
A warrant was issued for the arrest of David Negrete, 19, for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, per Pearland PD.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that the State of Texas and Brazoria County Crime Stoppers are offering a combined $15,000 reward for information about the incident.
“Texas mourns the loss of a precious child following the devastating tragedy in Pearland yesterday, and our hearts are with the four other victims in the hospital as they recover from their injuries,” said Abbott in a statement.
“Texans with information that could lead to the arrest and capture of these criminals are urged to submit anonymous tips through the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline, the Texas 10 Most Wanted website, or the DPS Mobile App.”
Those with information can call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
Further north in Dallas, crime has remained high throughout 2023.
The Dallas crime analytics dashboard states that there have been 257 homicide offenses reported as of Sunday, which is a 7.1% increase from the year prior.
The Dallas Police Department is facing a shortage of officers, with just 3,200 sworn in, far less than the 4,000 that a City report stated was necessary to maintain public safety.
