HARRIS COUNTY – A prominent optometrist in a well-to-do subdivision near the Johnson Space Center could be charged with a crime for shooting and killing his neighbor.
The Lakeview Police Department confirmed Tuesday an investigator had forwarded the highly-contentious case to the Harris County District Attorney's Office for consideration by a grand jury.
Brandon Smith, 36, died from gunshot wounds to his head and torso, according to the Harris County Medical Examiner.
Minutes before his death, Smith had crashed a party at the optometrist's home, according to an investigator. But the shooting appears to have taken place on a public roadway, not on the optometrist's property.
Smith's family members and some community members in the Timber Cove subdivision believe the shooter did not have the legal right to shoot Smith.
Local 2 is not identifying the shooter because he has not been charged with a crime.