WEST HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (Covering Katy News) — A woman was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon following a confrontation along a Katy-area street, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Deputy Responding to Bullet-on-Vehicle Report When Shooting Occurred
Deputies were called at approximately 12:40 p.m. to Rusty Ridge Lane, near North Fry Road and just north of West Little York Road. The initial call was coded as a terroristic threat report — a generic dispatch classification, Gonzalez said — after a woman reported finding a bullet left on or near her vehicle outside her home. She wanted to file a police report.
Katy-Area Road Rage Confrontation Turns Deadly After Both Parties Draw Pistols
Preliminary information indicates a man towing a small work trailer pulled over to allow the woman's vehicle to pass. Gonzalez said the woman exited her vehicle appearing irate, and a verbal confrontation began.
"She exits out of the vehicle, appears to be irate or upset, starts having words with him, and there's just an exchange — he's trying to apparently de-escalate or to just have a conversation with her," Gonzalez said.
The man told deputies he did not know the woman.
"At some point, she retrieves a pistol, is what we're told, and then he retrieves a pistol as well, and obviously he fires shots at her or fires a shot," Gonzalez said. "We don't know the amount — that's still all under investigation."
The woman collapsed at the scene and was pronounced dead.
Sheriff: Shooter Also Lives in Neighborhood, No Known Connection to Victim
Gonzalez said the man also lives in the area and had been pulling out of the neighborhood when the woman stopped and confronted him. Investigators said they do not yet know what prompted the confrontation or whether the two had any prior connection.
"We do not know of any connection or anything," Gonzalez said. "He also resides in the area, we believe, and so he was just trying to pull out of the neighborhood when she stopped — we don't know. She confronted him, and so that's gonna be all part of the investigation."
Two Young Children Inside Woman's Vehicle Witnessed Fatal Katy-Area Shooting
Two children — an 8-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy — and a dog were inside the woman's vehicle and witnessed the shooting. Neither child was physically injured. Neighbors and deputies on scene helped care for them.
"They were not harmed, but, sadly, they apparently witnessed what transpired and were obviously very distraught," Gonzalez said.
No Charges Filed; Harris County Homicide Detectives Investigating
The man remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators. Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives and crime scene investigators were processing the scene as of Wednesday evening. No charges had been filed as of that time.
WATCH SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ NEWS CONFERENCE BELOW
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