Here are things to know for Friday, July 9:
1. ‘Horribly tragic incident’: 2 men killed, including suspect, and another injured during shooting at Downtown Aquarium restaurant, police say
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Two men are dead, including the suspect, and a woman was injured following a shooting at the Downtown Aquarium restaurant Thursday evening, police said.
Officers responded to the shooting on the second floor of the aquarium around 8:10 p.m.
HPD Executive Assistant Chief Matt Slinkard said a man and woman were at the restaurant’s bar having dinner when the suspect, who was sitting at the opposite end of the bar, got up and started firing shots at the couple before turning the gun on himself.
The suspect and the male victim were pronounced dead on the scene. The woman was transported to the hospital in stable condition, police said.
According to KPRC 2 sources, the shooting appeared to have been a random incident. The gunman was sitting at the bar by himself drinking for several hours before the shooting occurred, sources said.
No other injuries were reported, and police have not released the names of those involved.
2. Teen shot during possible road rage shooting after Astros game has died, father confirms
The 17-year-old boy who was shot while heading home from an Astros game with his family on Tuesday has died, according to his father.
Paul Castro, the teen’s father, shared the news with KPRC 2 on Thursday, a day after the Houston Police Department confirmed the boy was on life support.
What happened?
Around 11 p.m., officers said a father and his two sons left an Astros game and were traveling on Chartres Street when the father encountered the suspect in the white sedan and exchanged hand gestures with the other driver. Police said the white sedan followed the family’s truck onto the East Freeway and then on McCarty Street.
Police said the suspect began shooting into the truck and a bullet struck the 17-year-old boy in his head. Police said the father drove to the area of Highway 59 and called 911. Police said first responders then rushed the boy to the Medical Center.
3. Theresa Balboa charged with capital murder in death of 5-year-old Samuel Olson
Theresa Raye Balboa, who was the girlfriend of Samuel Olson’s father, has been charged with capital murder in connection with the death of the 5-year-old after his body was found in a Jasper motel room in June.
Balboa was initially charged with tampering with evidence of a human corpse, according to documents. She was arrested and transferred from Jasper County Jail to Harris County Jail where she has been held as the investigation continues. Balboa’s next court date is set for Monday.
Samuel’s body was kept hidden in a storage unit before being discovered in the motel and his cause of death has been ruled a homicide, authorities said. The identity of Samuel Olson was confirmed following an autopsy conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston.
4. City of La Marque loses city manager, fire chief, police chief and other top-ranking officials in mass exodus
The City of La Marque is looking to fill six high-level positions after the people who held them resigned on the same day.
The first domino to fall came during Friday’s city council meeting, when Charles “Tink” Jackson, city manager, submitted his letter of resignation. Chief Todd Weismann, La Marque Fire Department, Chief Kirk Jackson, La Marque Police Department, as well as two assistant city managers, and the city attorney resigned from their posts soon after the council meeting.
Chief Jackson was set to retire at a later date but pushed up his day to Friday.
Mayor Keith Bell said it was unknown if the six conspired to collectively resign.
5. More drivers report major car issues after filling up at gas station in Cypress area
More drivers are reporting major car problems after filling up at a gas station in the Cypress area.
On Monday, several drivers told KPRC 2 they encountered serious engine problems at the Exxon gas station at the corner of Farm to Market Road 529 and Barker Cypress Road.
“We noticed something was up, didn’t think much of it, started the car, moved 10 feet and next thing we are now the car just stopped,” one man said.
Many people had no idea what happened.