KATY, Texas (Covering Katy News) – Three people were found shot dead at a Katy area apartment in what Harris County investigators are treating as an apparent murder-suicide, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said during a news briefing on Saturday.
Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the deadly shooting at the two-story apartment unit at 20110 Park Row Boulevard where they discovered the victims.
"Upon arrival, they discovered multiple people shot," Gonzalez said. "They discovered an adult female approximately 43 years of age, deceased on scene from an apparent gunshot wound."
Deputies also found a 7-year-old boy dead in his bedroom and transported an adult male to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
"Right now, we're treating this as a double homicide with a suicide," Gonzalez said. "At this point, it appears that the male was the shooter. A pistol was recovered on scene."
The Harris County sheriff said investigators believe the fatal shooting incident was contained to the apartment and poses no threat to the community. Homicide detectives and crime scene investigators remained on scene investigating the triple fatality.
"We had talked to some of the family members of the deceased male," Gonzalez said. "It's our understanding that there may have been some growing mental health issues, specifically some depression."
According to the sheriff, the man had recently been unemployed and "had possibly sought some treatment recently." Houston-area deputies found no previous calls for service at the residence.
Two other people were in the apartment during the shooting incident - the couple's 19-year-old daughter and her boyfriend, who was staying overnight. Both were unharmed and will be interviewed by investigators.
"Very tragic situation out here," Gonzalez said.
The investigation into the Harris County shooting remains ongoing, and the sheriff cautioned that all information is preliminary pending further investigation.