HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Investigators have identified the man shot and killed overnight at an apartment complex in northwest Harris County as Frederick Kennedy.
Investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office spent more than six hours at the complex located along Greenhouse Road, just across the street from Cypress Lakes High School. They now believe the motive for thedeadly shooting was robbery.
Deputies showed up at the Commons at Hollyhock Apartments around 1:40 a.m. Thursday after getting a call.
There, they found EMS on a building stairwell treating a man in his mid to late 20s, who had been shot several times. He died on scene.
“I thought it was like some leftover firecrackers or something but this never happens over here,” Marcus Jackson, a neighbor, said.
Several neighbors said they’ve never seen problems at this complex and are shocked at what happened.
“It was five pretty loud bangs. I was pretty certain that’s what it was. I was kinda freaking out myself. My daughter was asleep in the room next door,” David Bailey, a neighbor, said.
Some family members were at the scene, but were understandably distraught and left without making any comments.
The woman who rode away with them had said the apartment belonged to the victim’s girlfriend.
Darius Wilson, who says he grew up with Kennedy and played Little League football with him in Alief, visited the apartment complex Thursday morning before heading to the Kennedy family’s home nearby.
Wilson says he and Kennedy have been friends since childhood and last spoke through social media a couple of days before Thursday’s shooting.
“I was just letting him know, ‘Hey man, I miss you, you know, call me when you get a chance,” recalled Wilson.
Wilson says Kennedy played football for Alief Taylor High School and graduated in 2009.
“I don’t know anybody who would want to harm Fred,” said Wilson. “Fred will give you literally the clothes off his back and wouldn’t think twice about it. We didn’t have the most growing up, but we had enough to where we would help each other. This is truly just a horrible, horrible situation, man.”
Investigators said four men were seen fleeing the scene.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said they were wearing all black clothing and drove off in a white sedan and dark colored small truck.