A man was shot and six other people sustained injuries after a gunman opened fire at a Houston flea marker, Sunday night. According to Ed Gonzales, Sheriff of Harris County, deputies responded after receiving a report that seven people suffered injuries after getting shot, at the Mercado SabaDomingo flea market around seven o'clock in the evening local time.
On a report by CNN, the investigators determined that there was only one person who received gunshot injury in the leg. While the other six that were injured suffered wounds after the bullet exited the man and ricocheted. The wounds were minor, superficial and not life-threatening.
All seven people were transported by responders to nearby hospitals right after the incident, the sheriff further noted.
The incident happened amid the dance that was happening in the market. Fortunately, the children present at the scene were unharmed and suffered no injuries based on reports by the responders.
As per CNBC, Gonzales told reporters during the press briefing that the whole situation could have been worse and that it was a miracle that nobody else was hurt, especially the children present at the scene.
The gunman was taken from the scene and was detained and being interviewed by authorities.
According to Chron, the suspect claimed that the gun was inside his pocket and fired accidentally when he was asked by investigators. However, his statement was inconsistent with the accounts of eyewitnesses who said they saw the man holding a gun before they heard the gunshot.
Sheriff Gonzales said that the man was intoxicated with alcohol and his story was inconsistent with the evidence as well. They, however, were not able to find a connection between the suspect and the man who was shot first making the motive very unclear.
Investigators are still trying to find out if the gunman meant to shoot the victims or if the shot was purely accidental in nature.
Meanwhile, in the same night ABC13, reported that a woman was shot in the head in a separate shooting incident at a shopping center in Houston at Glenmont Drive.
According to Houston police, two Hispanic men in a black car shot the woman and then rushed to fled from the scene.
The drive-by shooting happened around 11:30 PM. The woman was severely injured and is currently on life support at the Memorial Hermann Medical Center.
As of the moment, the police are still searching for the suspect and are checking every surveillance video available in nearby businesses.
According to Houston PD Commander Bien Tien, they are assuring the public that they will check every available resource they have until they get a lead on the suspects. They are yet to check other surveillance footage for things that may lead them to the gunmen. The police believe that there might be witnesses to the incident who will come out soon.
Houston PD is asking anyone who has information regarding the crime to call their Crime Stoppers Hotline, 713-222-TIPS.
