'We're better than this': Reaction to Lamar HS student's deadly shooting

HOUSTON – A Lamar High School student was shot dead Tuesday afternoon and another student was injured, police said.

The 18-year-old student who was killed has not yet been identified. The 15-year-old female student who was walking with him around 12:15 p.m. near campus at the intersection of Bammel Lane and Philfall Street was grazed by a bullet.

A masked gunman walked up and started firing at the 18-year-old. After the victim fell to the ground, the gunman stood over him and fired several more shots, police said.

The gunman jumped in a vehicle occupied by two other people and fled the scene, police said. The vehicle was described as a black Subaru with a plastic bag covering a rear passenger window, police said.

Investigators said that they believe the male student was targeted and that the shooting could be gang-related.

The deadly shooting comes days after two Lamar High School students were found dead with gunshot wounds to the head in what police believe was a murder-suicide.

Here's how the community is reacting to the shooting:

"Very disappointing that it's come to this point in our city. And I've stood and I've said before, 'We're not just going to stand by.' We need the public's support," Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner, with the Houston Police Department, said. "I don't care why it's happened. You know what, I want to put an end to it. I want to get the individuals, all these individuals who are out here pulling triggers and shooting people like they are crazy in our city." 

"We're better than this in this city," Finner said.

"We need the city's help. Our children should be able to come to school and learn in a safe environment and they should be safe when they leave the campus," Grenita Lathan, Houston Independent School District interim superintendent, said.

"It has been a hard week at Lamar. We lost two students a week ago," she said.

"It's a tough week for the students at Lamar. We've had a lot of counseling support available. We've been communicating with parents, making sure they know what to look for and to contact us if they need assistance," Lamar High School Principal Rita Graves said. "Our kids have been taking good care of one another. It's a good, strong community." 

"We had another possible gang murder today. The cycle of retaliatory violence needs to end. If you love a gang member, love them enough to help @houstonpolice bring shooters to justice instead of leaving it to never-ending vengeance. You can get out of jail, but have only one life," HPD Chief Art Acevedo tweeted.

"I hear some shots, I sit up immediately," resident Chloe Miller said. "I'm just mind blown -- that had to be gunshots. There was no doubt about it."

She said she ran out of her apartment and into the street, where she saw the 18-year-old victim lying on the ground while a construction worker tried to help him.

"I had a view of his feet," Miller said. 

"A construction guy was giving the CPR," Pedro Enriques said. "I was sad for him. He was so young."

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