HOUSTON – The identities of two outlaw motorcycle gang members killed during Friday’s shooting spree in the Huntsville area were released to the public on Monday.
Andrew Cole, 43, of Deer Park; Romero Sosa, 69, of La Porte, and another member were “targeted” in the shooting attack on April 14 on Interstate 45 near 114MM, according to the Huntsville Police Department.
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All three members were riding their motorcycles that afternoon when they were shot. They were wearing clothing and insignia that indicated they were part of the outlaw motorcycle gang.
Cole and Sosa were pronounced dead at the scene. The other rider, a 61-year-old man, was flown to Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center for treatment.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was also part of the investigation.
Prior to the Huntsville area shooting, the gunman shot two other motorcyclists who were also affiliated with the outlaw motorcycle gang, MCSO said.
The first shooting was reported at 11:08 a.m. on the feeder road located in the 25000 block of I-45, where one motorcyclist was shot by the suspect, police said. MCSO deputies responded to the shooting, and the 32-year-old man was taken to a local hospital where he died hours later from his injuries.
Another motorcyclist was reportedly shot in Montgomery County and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. That man managed to flee the scene before being taken to a nearby hospital.
The identity of the deceased in Montgomery County cannot be released at this time due to the next of kin not being notified. The Sheriff’s Office Homicide and Gang Detectives worked with local, state and federal partners on this shooting.
MCSO’s statement read the following: “Our county has seen no “uptick” in outlaw biker gang activity in large part due to the excellent proactive work of our gang task force. This event was a targeted attack between two fanatical gangs who inadvertently committed their crime in Montgomery County as they just happened to be in our jurisdiction while traveling. We are confident this event was between rival gangs, and the general population is not an intended target of their feud. We are aware of the public’s concern regarding this violent activity but can assure you that our local, state, and federal partners are working together to ensure public safety.”
The gunman’s identity and/ or vehicle description have not been released.
The Huntsville Police Department stated that it is aware of a violent incident reported in the Oklahoma City area involving outlaw motorcycle gangs on April 1. Detectives said they coordinated and exchanged information with investigators in that area to determine if the two incidents are related.
This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. John Thompson at 936-291-5427 or email jthompson@huntsvilletx.gov.