Here are things to know for Friday, July 30:
1. Man in custody after fatally shooting wife, injuring her 2 children in Katy, deputies say
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A man is in custody for killing his wife and shooting her two children at a Katy home Thursday, deputies said. Investigators believe the shooting was the result of an ongoing domestic dispute.
Deputies said the shooting happened at a home located in the 2700 block of Roaring Oaks around 8:50 p.m. According to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the suspect, who has been identified as Lawrence Reed, was taken into custody around 11 p.m.
Deputies said when they arrived at the scene, they found a woman, who has been identified as Valerie Junius, dead from a gunshot wound. Her children, ages 16 and 20, had also been shot, deputies said. Investigators said they were both transported to the hospital and are expected to be okay.
While securing the scene, deputies said they learned that the suspected gunman had barricaded himself inside of a home. According to deputies, hostage negotiators talked on the phone with the suspect for about 30 minutes, ultimately getting him to leave the house. He was then taken into custody.
2. Man says he was grazed by bullet, shot at 10 times in road rage incident in east Houston
The Houston Police Department is investigating the apparent road rage incident on the city’s eastside on Wednesday night.
Danzel Washington said he was near the East Loop Freeway near Clinton when an unidentified man began shooting in his direction.
“I believe I need to get more in tune with God. It’s a life-changing experience,” said Washington.
Washington said his Toyota Camry was shot at 10 times with one of the bullets hit his headrest and grazed him in the shoulder. He said is unsure what caused the suspect to become upset but said it started when the man pulled up in front of him at a stop sign and exited his vehicle.
“I saw his gun and him getting out the car,” Washington said.” Once I saw his gun I left, I fled, I hit the median and kept ongoing.”
3. Judge Hidalgo asks vaccinated residents in Harris County to mask up again due to rise in COVID-19 cases
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is asking all vaccinated residents in Harris County to mask up again due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the community.
Hidalgo said those who have received the vaccine are heroes but now the county needs them to step up to help protect the unvaccinated.
“If you’re vaccinated, you’re already a hero. Now we need you to step up and put your mask back on. COVID19 is rising again in our community and we need to protect the unvaccinated. Mask up y’all,” the tweet read.
4. MAPPED: Several Houston-area counties listed as COVID-19 hotspots on CDC map
Several Houston-area counties are listed as COVID-19 hotspots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Data Tracker.
With the rise of the Delta variant plaguing Americans, health officials are seeing a rise in cases.
In July, Houston Methodist Hospital reported seeing an “alarming spike” in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the Houston area. Health officials with the Texas Medical Center said that hospitalization rates in the TMC are up 90% and the positivity rate is climbing. President and CEO of the Texas Medical Center Bill McKeon said the Medical Center is seeing the beginning of a fourth wave.
“We are clearly seeing the beginning of a fourth wave of this pandemic, which is alarming at best,” McKeon said.
The CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker highlights the level of community transmission from high (red), substantial (orange), moderate (yellow) and low (blue). Walker County is the only Houston area county highlighted as yellow -- the rest of the area’s counties are red.
5. Texas State Teachers Association urging Gov. Abbott to allow school districts to mandate masks when students return
The Texas State Teachers Association has called on Gov. Greg Abbott to withdraw the prohibition of masks and to allow school districts to require masks when students return back to school.
TSTA’s president, Ovidia Molina, released a written statement to allow school districts to require masks to help protect the health of their communities.
TSTA said the pandemic is still dangerous and with the increase of COVID-19 cases and many people still not being vaccinated, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that people older than 2 years old should wear a mask when they return to school. The association asked Abbott to give local school officials and health experts the option they see fit for their communities.