One person was killed and at least 13 others were injured Sunday night in a drive-by shooting during a candlelight vigil near Houston, a sheriff said.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the shooting happened around 6:40 p.m. when about 50 people were gathered for a celebration of life near North Market Loop in Baytown, about 25 miles west of Houston.
“Right as they were releasing the balloons up into the air was when the vehicle came,” he said. “Almost at that exact time is when they opened fire into a crowd.”
One of the wounded was taken to a hospital by helicopter, Gonzalez said. One of the injured was believed to be a young child, he said.
Gonzalez said it was too early to know whether the shooting may be gang-related.
“Those bullets don’t have eyes or anything, so it just puts everybody at risk,” Gonzalez said.
One witness, Sidney Williams, told KTRK-TV that “people were screaming and running to their cars.”