HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A shooting in northeast Harris County has left a 7-year-old girl dead and her mother wounded in the arm, sheriff's deputies said.
Maj. Jesse Razo said a car filled with five people - a woman and four girls, ages 7 to 15 were leaving a Walmart store near Wallisville and the Beltway around 7 a.m. when a red pickup truck came by and someone inside it started shooting, striking the mother and 7-year-old girl.
The woman in the car, LaPorsha Washington, 30, drove south on the Beltway and then made a U-turn and stopped on the north side, Razo said.
When deputies arrived, the child was dead and the mother of the child was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, according to Razo. Officials said Washington is expected to survive her injury.
The child has been identified as Jazmine Barnes.
He said the girls who survived are shaken and devastated.
"We are going to use all resources available to bring this killer to justice," Razo said.
Then he had a direct message to the shooter.
"I urge you, whoever did this, you know who you are. Please turn yourself in now," Razo said, "We will be looking for you. We will locate you. We will find you."
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the gunman as a white male, 40s and with a beard. Gonzalez said the gunman was seen wearing a red hoodie and that it is unknown if he was on foot or in a vehicle.
Update on Wallisville: deceased child is 7 year old, may she Rest In Peace. Suspected shooter described as white male, 40s, a beard, driving a red truck. If you know anything please contact us asap. We need our communities help. cc: @CrimeStopHOU #HouNews
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) December 30, 2018
If anyone has any information about this homicide, they are urged to call the Sheriff's Office at 713-221-6000.