HOUSTON — A 9-year-old girl is in critical condition after she was shot in the head Tuesday night in a suspected road rage incident in southwest Houston, according to the Houston Police Department.
No arrests have been made, but police said they are looking for two suspects — a man and a woman. They were driving a white GMC Denali with blinkers that have distinct arrow directions on them, according to police.
This shooting happened around 9:10 p.m. on the Southwest Freeway near Fondren Road.
Preliminary information is that the young girl, her 12-year-old brother and her mom and dad were headed to the grocery store when they witnessed two cars racing, police said. While they were trying to get out of the way, they somehow got in the middle of the cars, according to police.
That's when the driver of the white GMC allegedly went after the family of four and cut them off several times, according to HPD. They say he then got behind them and started shooting at their Tahoe.
The 9-year-old girl was hit in the head. Police have not confirmed if anyone else in the family's vehicle was injured.
“We are going to do everything we can to find these individuals," said Lt. R. Wilkens with the Houston Police Department. "It’s just another tragic incident that has occurred. So, prayers for this family and that little girl."
A witness told KHOU 11 News that he and his family were on the Southwest Freeway feeder approaching Bissonnet when they heard a lot of gunshots coming from the freeway. The witness said they braked and saw a car being followed and shot at.
“It was really loud from inside the car with the windows up," the witness said. “I felt horrible because I could tell it was a road rage. I knew it was a road rage. I just felt bad. I was hoping it wasn’t a kid or a family with kids involved.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact the HPD Major Assaults & Family Violence Division at 713-308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.