HOUSTON – The father of the 8-year-old boy who was injured in a shooting at a local tire shop is speaking out about the incident.
The shooting happened around 6 p.m. in the 1300 block of S Loop West on Wednesday.
The Houston Police Department said the man was arguing with an employee at the shop about having to pay to fill up his tires. At some point during the argument, the employee pulled out a gun and fired at the man's vehicle.
There were six people in the car at the time, including three children. The bullet went through the back windshield and shrapnel cut the 8-year-old's arm, police said.
The boy was rushed to Texas Children’s Hospital and is expected to be OK.
No one else inside the vehicle was injured.
"Our son is okay and everybody else is alright, and that's what's most important" said the man on Thursday. He wished to remain anonymous to protect his identity and his family's.
The shop owner is telling a different story, however. He says his employee was acting in self defense after the father hit the employee with his car and dragged him down the street.
"My employee feared for his life so at the end of the day all he could do was shoot," said Robert Moore. "He didn't know if the guy was going to back up and hit him or run over him again. He didn't know what the circumstances were going to be at that time."
The employee has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault and felon in possession of a firearm.
The father says the employee jumped on his hood and he never intentionally tried to run him over. He said the gun was fired as they tried to get away from the employee.
"We pulled around the corner to the other gas station to be safe and that's when the fire, the gunfire started, and that was it." the father said.
He admitted an argument over a $2 tire pressure check should never get so far out of hand and he hopes the employee also realizes how much worse it could have ended.
"He made a mistake and he just needs to deal with it." he said.
► Make it easy to keep up-to-date. Download the KHOU News app now.
Have a news tip? Email us or message us on our Facebook page or Twitter feed.