Police said the gunfire followed a dispute tied to a customer’s canceled order.
HOUSTON, TX — A woman was wounded after a man opened fire outside a restaurant along the North Freeway in north Houston following an argument about his order, police and an employee said. The shooter fled before officers arrived, and investigators were still searching for him early Monday.
The shooting at Chacho’s, a late-night Mexican restaurant near East Tidwell Road, sent customers and workers scrambling and left a window shattered. The woman, described by police as an uninvolved bystander, was taken to a hospital and was reported in stable condition. Authorities have not released her name, her age, or details about whether she knew the suspect.
Houston police said officers were called to the restaurant on Saturday night, Feb. 7, after a customer became angry inside the business and was turned away. Houston Police Department Lt. Khan said the man walked out, went to his vehicle, retrieved a gun and fired toward the restaurant. One round struck a woman in the parking lot, Khan said, and other shots hit the building, breaking at least one window.
An employee, Daniel Lopez, said he was working when he heard the first shots and turned to check whether anyone nearby had been hit. “I heard the first two pops, and when I heard the first two pops, I turned around,” Lopez said. “I had to make sure I wasn’t hit first.” Lopez said the dispute appeared to be connected to the customer’s order. “What I do know is that he became irate when his order had got canceled,” he said, adding that he did not know what else may have been going on with the man.
Police said the woman was hit once and was taken to a hospital by the Houston Fire Department. Officers did not say where she was struck or whether she will need surgery, but she was listed as stable. Lopez said he saw the woman after she fell. “She was lying on the ground,” he said. “By the time I got in, they were already applying pressure to her back.” Investigators have not said how many rounds were fired, what type of gun was used, or whether any shell casings were recovered.
The shooting happened around 9:06 p.m. in the 5300 block of the North Freeway, according to a report that cited police. The area includes a frontage road with fast-food and sit-down restaurants near freeway ramps that carry heavy weekend traffic. The restaurant’s late hours can draw crowds, especially on weekends, and the parking lot can be busy with people eating on patios, picking up takeout, or waiting for rides.
Police have not said whether the suspect had been drinking, whether he argued with employees or other customers before leaving the restaurant, or whether anyone tried to stop him outside. Authorities also have not released a description of the suspect or his vehicle. Lopez said the man walked past him and got into a car, but he could not confidently identify him because his focus shifted to safety after the gunfire started. “It’s crazy,” Lopez said. “I hope he gets caught.”
Investigators were expected to review surveillance video from the restaurant and nearby businesses and to interview witnesses who were inside and outside when shots were fired. Police did not announce an arrest on Monday morning, and they did not say whether any charges had been filed. In Texas, shooting toward a building where people are present can lead to felony charges, but prosecutors typically wait for a full case file, including witness statements and evidence from the scene.
The incident added to continuing concerns about violence spilling into everyday public places, including restaurants and parking lots. Officers and first responders often rely on quick witness accounts and video footage to identify suspects who flee before police arrive. In this case, police said the suspect was gone by the time officers reached the restaurant, leaving investigators to reconstruct the moments that led from a dispute at the counter to gunfire in a crowded lot.
As the investigation continued, the restaurant remained a focal point for shaken workers and customers. Lopez said the first seconds after the shooting were chaotic as people tried to understand what happened and who had been hit. Police said the woman who was shot was not part of the earlier argument, and they urged anyone with information that can help identify the shooter to contact investigators.
Police said the suspect was still outstanding Monday, Feb. 9, and detectives were continuing interviews and video review, with updates expected as new information is confirmed.
Author note: Last updated February 9, 2026.