HOUSTON – Investigators worked through the night to understand what led to a tense standoff in northeast Houston, Houston police say.
Investigators from the Houston Police Department say it started just before 9 p.m. Wednesday when a man was shot by his roommate at an apartment complex on FM 1960 near Townsend Road. When emergency crews got to the scene, the victim was in front of a neighbor's apartment while the gunman and another female roommate remained in the apartment the three shared.
After the gunman refused to surrender, a SWAT team was called to assist and was able to pull the female shooting victim out of the apartment. Both victims were taken to a hospital, where they were last listed in critical condition.
The standoff lasted several hours and ended when police say the suspect took his own life.
"We were actively negotiating and discussing his surrender when he ceased communication and we heard a gunshot," said Houston Police Department spokesperson Jodi Silva.
Neighbors said the shooting victims are a couple and the suspect moved in about a year ago to help with expenses. However, neighbors said the couple had been recently trying to get the suspect removed from the lease due to his anger issues.
"All three of us had gone to the office to see how we could get him off the lease because he was very irate. That's just the type of person he was," said neighbor Linda Turner.