HOUSTON, TX- A Houston family is grappling with a tragic loss after a mother was fatally shot while driving her SUV, with her 3-year-old son and a male passenger present. The incident occurred in the Acres Homes neighborhood of Northwest Houston, leaving the community and authorities puzzled over the motive behind the attack.
The 34-year-old mother was driving along the 2800 block of W. Gulf Bank Road, near W. Montgomery Road, when the shooting took place. A 41-year-old male passenger was also injured in the incident. The woman’s toddler son, who was in the backseat at the time, was unharmed.
A Houston firefighter was seen comforting the young boy at the scene. “What a miracle,” remarked Asst. Chief Jessica Anderson of the Houston Police Department, acknowledging the child’s fortunate escape from physical harm.
The incident was reported to the police around 2:45 a.m. by a witness who saw two vehicles speeding east on West Gulf Bank Road. The witness reported that shots were fired from a four-door Ford sedan at the Acura SUV the mother was driving. The bullet that killed the mother also injured the male passenger. “The bullet that struck the driver passed through the passenger,” explained Asst. Chief Anderson.
Following the shooting, the mother lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the curb. The car believed to be carrying the shooter also hit a curb at the corner of West Montgomery, resulting in a blown tire. Police arrived at the scene within a minute of the 911 call and detained two individuals attempting to change the tire.
The mother of the deceased woman arrived at the scene, visibly distraught and was comforted by a Houston police officer. Asst. Chief Anderson expressed her sympathy for the young boy, saying, “I can’t imagine the trauma that he’s feeling and the shock.”
While the motive behind the shooting remains unclear, detectives are considering road rage as a possible cause. Asst. Chief Anderson advised drivers to avoid escalating any potential road conflicts.
The two individuals detained at the scene were later released without charges. Police believe a third person, the suspected shooter, fled the scene before officers arrived.