HOUSTON -- A sleeping 9-year-old boy was shot to death during a home invasion in north Harris County early Wednesday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Harris County sheriff's deputies said four men broke into a home on East Hardy Road near Regena Street at about 1 a.m.

"It appears they may have determined that it was the wrong house," Sgt. Ben Beall said.

Beall said they tied up a woman inside that home and ransacked her house before they broke into a neighboring home through a back door.

The men ransacked the second home, where 10 people were inside, deputies said.

At least one man inside the home was tied up before the homeowner confronted the intruders, investigators said.

"They hit me in the head -- didn't ask for money or anything. They left and started firing," said Isael Salinas, the victim's cousin.

The men fired at least 20 shots as they fled, officials said. Three of the four men fired shots, deputies said. One used a rifle and the other two may have used pistols, investigators said.

At least one of the bullets went through an exterior wall and hit 9-year-old Cesar Armendarez, detectives said.

"The child was sleeping in his bed and died at the scene," Bell said.

Cesar was in the third grade and attended Stevens Elementary School.

"He was just a fun child to be around," brother Pedro Armendarez Jr. said.

Cesar's father, Pedro Armendarez, was also shot, investigators said. He suffered a gunshot wound to his leg and treated at a hospital.

Deputies said the attackers got away in a black or dark blue Chevrolet extended cab pickup truck.

Investigators said the men are in their 20s or 30s and were wearing dark-colored clothing.

The people inside the home said they did not recognize their attackers.

"We have no indication from the residents that they know the suspects," Beall said. "There's absolutely no indication that the residents were involved in any type of criminal activity that they would have been targeted for."

"All I'm asking is for you all … help us find the person who did this to my little brother," Pedro Armendarez Jr. said. "It will be great thanks and I'm pretty sure God will pay you all back if you can help us find whoever did this."

"It's just a tragedy. I'm just disturbed. I feel so sad -- I mean, an innocent little boy and it's going to be hard to talk to my son about it," said Laura Bruce, the victim's neighbor.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Division at 713-967-5810 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.