HOUSTON – A man who shot three people and missed shooting a fourth person on Friday is dead after being shot by Houston police officers in northwest Houston, officials said.
The shooting was reported around 4:25 p.m. at a home in the 200 block of West 44th Street
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said a 32-year-old man was being dropped off at his sister's home by a friend when he got out of the vehicle and shot the 23-year-old with no warning. Acevedo said the 32-year-old man went on a shooting spree and shot a 30-year-old man several times in the legs and shot another man in the front yard of his sister's home.
The gunman was confronted by his sister, who began to fight him over the gun, but she was not able to get it, Acevedo said. The man walked down the street with the gun and randomly shot at a pickup truck passing by, Acevedo said. The driver of the pickup truck was not injured.
Officials said a responding officer spotted the gunman and made contact with him by demanding several times that he drop his weapon. The man threatened the officer with the gun and the officer fired several rounds, striking the man, Acevedo said.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 23-year-old friend who was shot inside the vehicle was taken to Ben Taub Hospital and was in surgery, officials said. The second and third victims were also taken to a nearby hospital, officials said.
Acevedo said the man's sister and father watched as he went on the shooting spree and don't understand why he did it.
All witnesses told officers that the suspect appeared to have been under the influence of unknown drugs during the incidents.
After investigators reviewed the bodycam footage of the officer who shot the suspect, Acevedo said the officer had kept his composure and had done an amazing job.
Police said no officers were injured in the shooting.
KPRC spoke with the accused shooter’s father and he identified his son as 32-year-old Lawrence Thompson III. He said his son suffered from mental issues. The father’s name is Lawrence Thompson Jr.